Whether seeking out new opportunities at work or taking on additional responsibilities outside of work, I look to put myself in a position to create successful outcomes for a client, a customer, a team member, or a boss. In my experience, that has been a great formula for personal enrichment and growth.
Experimentation carries its risks, and I’ve made my share of mistakes. I learned early on it’s OK to fail. One of my favorite pieces of advice was “always fail small.” It’s the ability to deal with adversity and to solve problems that matters most.
Fortunately, I had a strong network of managers and mentors who took an interest in my professional development and helped me learn from my mistakes. Most importantly, they set examples for me. I’ve tried to carry these examples with me throughout my career.
I try to create a sense of purpose, live with a set of core values, and generate confidence within my team. It is important to consider everyone’s opinion when making decisions, but in the end, it’s about achieving balance between cooperation and team consensus.
when employees ask me for advice, I encourage them to learn new skill sets, take on more responsibility, and broaden their understanding of business. In many instances, i’ve encouraged team members to hone their expertise in a different line of business or in a new role in our company.
Sure enough, these individuals have often returned to the organization as more seasoned and knowledgeable employees. Putting employees’ professional growth ahead of more immediate team objectives is an important investment, because in the long run everyone benefits from their enhanced capabilities.
It is also important to achieve a balance between your career and family. Maintaining a better work-life balance helps reduce stress and enables you to keep things in perspective.
The most rewarding aspect of my job is the opportunity to work with motivated employees and to mentor future leaders. I was fortunate enough to be given many opportunities, and there’s nothing more fun than passing those opportunities along to others.
To this day, I continue to challenge myself and seek the advice of my mentors. I encourage my team to experiment and try new things, as well, and not to fear failure. It’s one of the only ways we really learn.
