Achievement stems from having genuine personal interest and passion for what we do. It is this personal passion that helps us ride through the lows and the not-so-good days. We are blessed to be working women in a country with plenty of opportunities for us to explore. We need to take advantage of that.
We should strive to remain approachable and human regardless of level. This is the common denominator among the colleagues and bosses that I have admired along the way. These mentors recognized that how we achieve success is just as important as the success itself. Our career advice list evolves as we accumulate more experience. However, I would offer the following five suggestions to others:
- Expand your personal comfort zone. Speak up, volunteer for projects and responsibilities, even when you think you might not be ready. Chances are, you are indeed ready and you just need to stretch.
- Commit yourself to constant self-improvement and learning. How? Seek feedback frequently and from sources throughout the organization. Our personalities and styles are multifaceted and we morph depending on the situation. It’s good to check whether we are being effective; it is important to stay current in our chosen fields.
- Hold yourself accountable for the training and development of others, because as we grow, more results are achieved working with others. The more we teach, the more our productivity increases and the better our results will be. More importantly, your team will be motivated to do their best when they know they are growing their own careers.
- Preserve relationships and networks as you make career choices. It is, indeed, a “small world.” As your network increases, possibilities for meaningful business connections emerge.
- Always choose happiness. This is not in an idealistic or utopian view of the business world. Overall, choose roles that will cultivate your long-term health. Titles, salaries and benefits will come and go, but only you can protect your commitment to yourself. As women, we tend to put the needs of others first, so it’s important to remember to take care of ourselves.