5 things to help you grow in your career

One of the thing I love, is to give back, sharing. It is important. So I am sharing with you 5 things I believe can help any entry level, junior and may be a senior because we all ought to grow.

Listen

It is important to be a good listener. Whenever you speak with someone, be it with your colleague, manager, family member, make sure to understand them by paying attention. Acknowledge what the other is saying. By listening, you will understand what your colleagues need, you will understand what your customer desires, you will understand what your boss is asking and you will understand what your family member wants. This will improve your productivity. This will improve your relationship.

Take Pride in your Work, Take pride in what you do

Embrace what you do. Whoever you are at work, just know you matter. Get in the game. Whatever you do at work matters. Know that you are part of a bigger picture. I remember in my first year when I joined the company, while given customer facing projects, I was also given internal tasks which aimed at servicing my colleagues. Though the internal task wasn't part of my job description, it was however part of my onboarding experience and I am thankful to date that my boss had arranged it. I took it with so much pride and just few months later, I was able to contribute in our business #success which was key to our operational health metrics.

Celebrate your Wins (Big or Small)

We all have big goals. Some might even have theirs painted in a wall in their Meditation Room. It is important to know that things aren't built overnight. While it is important to set your big goal, it is necessary that you recognize the steps that will take you there. Not acknowledging your efforts will often lead to demotivation which will make you believe that your goal is still very far away.

Be Humble, Be Kind but Do Not Naïve

Do not be Naïve: As human beings, we want to feel HAPPY and often our minds will be triggered whenever those occasions present themselves but you need to be aware about your surroundings. You will be trusted by your peers, customers and family members. Be sure to share the right information only when needed and to the right channel always.

Be a Learner, The Right Way

We often have books, we often attend conferences or master classes and now with COVID19, we are learning new skills online. What you do after learning is really important and here it's all about applying what you have learned. 2 things about learning :

(1) What you learn and (2) What you do about your learning.

What you learn: I recall our coffee break back in Poland with Phil Nosworthy, he mentioned to me : You don't need to know everything, you just need to know the thing that someone else needs.

What you do about your learning: you don't become a good driver by playing FORZA Horizon on your Xbox. You don't become an IT professional by watching the latest ITIL course on LinkedIn, You Live it. Apply the concepts you learn in 1 or 2 projects you will be working on. For the gamers, I am not asking you to apply your Need for Speed experience in the road. After you have passed your driving license exam, it is humanly known that you will be driving at least right ?