 |
|
|
|||||
Youve just graduated, and it’s time to get ready for your first adult job. This feels different from your summer jobs and internshipsyet its not. Take a pause, two deep breaths, and realize: you are not flying solo. Remember: in the workplace and throughout your career, a we, not me mentality makes all the difference. None of us gets anywhere alone. Not even fiercely independent believers in rugged individualism. Many graduates think they dont have a personal board of directors and that theyre starting their careers with an empty table. But Im here to tell you that nobody starts from zero. It can be hard to recognize at first, but you already have a group of people invested in you and your professional journey. These are your go-to people: those you trust, respect, and who have demonstrated their commitment to your professional growth and success. Think of the “board” as a figurative way to describe the individuals you turn to for guidance, support, input, radical honesty, and feedback. How to establish your board of directors First, start by setting some ground rules for your board: there are always open seats, and there are no term limits. Some people may only be on your board briefly; others may stay for a lifetime. These relationships shouldnt be transactional or one-way. They are respectful, thoughtful connections that you must nurture. Here are three actions you can take to strengthen your relationship with your current board members. 1. Start with an audit Ask yourself, whos already sitting at your table? Think about the people you call when youre in a personal or professional crisis, the ones who make you feel better just by talking. Think about the friends you trust to discuss school, career decisions, fashion dilemmas, or family stresses. Dont forget about teammates, club members, or organization peers whose advice you value. Reflect on those who have once sat you down to walk you through a critical decision. Even family members who offer solicited (and sometimes unsolicited) advice can be part of your board if you trust their input. These are the people who are already serving. 2. Be open to changing your board members Second, roll people off when necessary. Not everyone is meant to stay forever. As you grow and evolve, its natural for board membership to change. Sometimes its them, they might have life commitments that shift, which decreases availability. Sometimes its you. You develop new priorities or outgrow the relationship. Sometimes, a person might break your trust, and a once-valued board member no longer feels like a safe person. Whatever the reason, honor the evolution. The right board changes over time to meet the needs of the person you are becoming. 3. Show gratitude Third, show gratitude. Ask yourself if youve truly done the work to nurture these relationships. Once you finish reading this, reach out to a few board members to say thank you. Whether you send a handwritten note, a text, an email, or make a phone call, be intentional. Share an updatelet them know youve graduated and are starting your next chapter. Express your gratitude with a specific example of how their support helped you reach this milestone. And tell them that youd like to stay in touch, if theyre open to continued communication. This isnt a transactionits the ongoing work of maintaining and valuing real relationships. As you begin your new job, remember that there are always open seats at your boardroom table. Think about who youd like to join next. What areas of growth could benefit from more support? For example, when I graduated from medical school, I wished I had someone to help me with financial literacysomeone who could have guided me through paying off debt and making smart financial decisions. Books, podcasts, and newsletters are helpful, but nothing replaces having a real person to call or email when questions arise. The most successful professionals dont achieve everything at once. They build careers by learning and applying micro skillssmall, intentional behaviors that compound over time and can be implemented in real time. Congratulations, graduate. You already have a board. People are serving on it. Now its time to reinforce, grow, and celebrate the support.
Category:
E-Commerce
Were often told to stand up for ourselves, have boundaries, “do you,” and often in the process, frequently encouraged to say “no.” In recent times, weve seen entire books and productivity philosophies built around the art of refusal. Saying “no” works well for establishing healthy workplace boundaries and for self-preservation, and many see it as the stamp of a mature professional. The ability to say “no” creates a respectful and safe workplace, helps avoid burnout, and importantly, elevates and empowers individuals. But there is such a thing as saying “no” too often. And as a result, you might miss out on promotions, learning opportunities, and being part of important projects. In the process, your career could stagnate. Identifying boundaries or barriers One of the ways we justify the “no” is by positioning it as a boundary. But not every “no” is a boundary. These false boundaries are obstructive barriers. Instead of protection, they can actually act as an obstruction to growth, quietly and assuredly dismantling opportunities from coming your way. Statements like “I dont have time” or “Im too busy,” without an offer of a solution, are hard stops. Using statements habitually can be problematic because it has the potential to send the wrong message to your boss and team. They stop being a reason and start becoming a reputation. We tend to decline specific projects when they appear too challenging or unfamiliar, or when they potentially expose weaknesses. Yet, research supports the idea that discomfort can be a catalyst for growth. Boundaries need to evolve with context. Static boundaries may provide short-term clarity, but dynamic boundariesthose that respond to workload, team goals, and personal valuecreate sustainability. How saying ‘no’ can impact growth and learning Saying “no” out of fear rather than necessity can cause you to miss out on developing skills, exploring new networks, and having experiences that test your resilience. Studies in developmental and organizational psychology show that growth occurs on the edge of competence, not in the comfort zone. When we say “no” to tasks that feel uncertain or emotionally risky, we shield ourselves from the very friction that sharpens our skills. Neuroscientific studies suggest that novelty and challenge stimulate learning centers in the brain. Research shows that exposure to novel environments can enhance memory consolidation and recall. Additional studies demonstrate that novelty tends to activate the dopamine system, which plays a central role in learning. That stretch project you’re tempted to decline? It may offer more return on investment for your brain than any formal training. Being aware of relational consequences The workplace is a social ecosystem with collaboration and trust built over time. Say “no” too often and you can weaken precious relationships. This can hamper teamwork and connection. To build psychological safety, which is foundational to high-performing teams, you need shared risk and shared effort. When you constantly say “no” without context or care, you inadvertently signal disengagement, which corrodes the very trust high-performing teams rely on. When you display frequent signals of detachment and resistance to take on stretch projects, you run the risk of them seeing you as a “non-participant.” When that happens, others might start to exclude you from influence, advancement, and trust-building. And when colleagues cant rely on your participation, they inevitably stop including you in pivotal conversations. Saying “yes” is a social cue that communicates engagement, cooperation, and a willingness to be part of the ensemble. The importance of saying ‘yes’ when you dont want to Sometimes and often in life, we have to do the things we dont want to do. And at work, its no different. Every job has unpalatable aspects. Even the most glamorous of positions. Its the ying that balances the jobs yang. Accepting that we sometimes have to do things we dont want to do is part of being a productive member of the workforce and your team. Helpingeven when its inconvenientsignals credibility and fosters influence across teams. Additionally, reaching long-term goals often means doing things we dont feel like doing. Too many refusals over time, and others may interpret your “no’s” as disengagement or entitlement. If youre in a leadership or management role, dont delegate parts of your job because you dont like them. You might have the authority to do that, but your team will see through it. Over time, it can erode trust and credibility, two things no leader can afford to lose. Say “yes” if you dont want to, but only if youll benefit from the learning, networking, and development. Say “yes” if it assists a team member, and if it is a critical team and business value. Dont forget that you might need the favor one day, too. The more people who see your actions, the more influence you have. When should you say ‘no’? Of course, there are times when “no” is the appropriate answer. Saying “no” when saying “yes” would compromise your values, ethics, or professional integrity. Just ensure your claim on values is genuine and not a cosmetic excuse. Otherwise, it risks becoming another false boundary. Say “no” when the cost is too high, when it leads to too much stress and burnout. If you feel burdened and overwhelmed, saying “no” can be a legitimate and smart decision. However, you still need to say it the right way. Knowing when and how to say “no” is a skill. Your “no” should never be a limitation. Saying “no” at workthe right way and for the right reasonshould empower, not restrict. Refusal isn’t inherently bad. Quite the opposite, its essential. But discernment is key. When you do say “no,” maintain goodwill. It can be a redirection rather than a rejection. You can achieve this by offering an alternate solution. This may mean a change of date, deadline, or part of the task. Follow up to make sure all went well. A well-placed “no” isnt about shutting things down, its about knowing when, where, and how to create the most value.
Category:
E-Commerce
When you reach the role of manager in an organization (particularly for the first time), you have often been there a while. Chances are, youre managing people who had roles like the one you had before you started to supervise others. The rhythms and routines of work are familiar. Despite your feelings of closeness to team members on the front lines, you’re likely to forget three key issues that can hamper your ability to succeed. These factors can be a particular problem when working with people who are new to the organization. Now youre one of ‘them’ When you become a manager, you dont feel much different than you did before your promotion. In fact, when you first step into that managerial role, you may feel less confident about going to work and doing your job than you did when you were a successful individual contributor. When you head to work, youre probably going to see most of the same people you used to work with closely. Only, something is different. You have suddenly gone from being one of us to being one of them. Thats rightnow youre on the management side of things. You may very well want to be friends with all of your superviseesparticularly because you may have been close to many of them before getting your new role. But, your responsibilities will make it difficult to have the same relationship with the front-line team as you did before, because you also have to give them assignments and evaluate their performance. It’s easy to forget the way you used to view management before you entered into that role. There are big information asymmetries Once you move into a leadership role, you are privy to a lot of information about what is happening across the organization including discussions of strategy and new initiatives. Much of this information isn’t spread to the front lines of the organization, and is often not relevant to the daily work of individual contributors. That means you need to become more effective at talking with people who do not share some of the knowledge you have. You may have to explain more of your references and remind yourself of the likely state of information of the people who report to you. In addition, while Im not a huge fan of organizational secrets, there are times when you become aware of information that is not supposed to be shared more widely. There are often good strategic reasons for a company to withhold some information from all employees until it can be communicated broadly and with a consistent message. It can be difficult to avoid spilling the beans, but you have to practice having knowledge other people might want to know, but cant hear yet. New people are still learning A common problem for many people who have developed some expertise is returning to the beginners mind. It can be difficult to remember how little you knew before you were steeped in the processes, jargon, and lore of the organization. As a manager, a significant part of your role is coaching new people. That means reminding yourself what it is like not to know anything about how the organization works. Early on, you may find that what’s wrong with new employees is that they do not have basic knowledge of how to do their jobs or how the organization functions. Remember that you probably had no clue how to do your job when you first started. What makes people so smart is not that we come preloaded with lots of understanding of how to do tasks, but rather that we are so effective at learning from others effectively. So, give your newest employees some grace. Give them a chance to adapt to their new environment. Teach a lot. Create a team where people want to let you know all the things they dont yet understand. It’s much easier to teach someone who owns the gaps in their knowledge than to have to ferret out the holes in your employees knowledge that they are reluctant to reveal.
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||