My lessons learned in 2013

As I reflected on past events in 2013, I want to pen down some references that transformed my beliefs in 2013.

An article on Harvard business Review has triggered a need in me to look at scheduling differently. I learned to manage my energy level over a well thought out agenda/plan.  Now, I take into account my energy level at different times of the day and prioritize important tasks during the time when my energy level is the most optimum. I am getting a little smarter about managing me.

Another article on Harvard Business Review talked about promotion-focused and prevention-focused behavior. I knew before reading the article that I am partial towards prevention-focused. The simple test at the end of the article corroborated with my suspicion. I wanted to have traits of promotion-focused and perhaps, I am tired of pointing the obvious while other people can talk convincingly to get recognized with outrages and non realistic ideas. I tried to act promotion-focused but subconsciously I articulated my thoughts and conveyed my intention in a prevention-focused manner.  I only came to realized  my bipolar intent vs action when a coworker pointed it out to me when I was exchanging accounts between two of my direct reports.I am taking this out of context but hopefully I make my point. I said, "If the new assignment does not work out, I will work with you to ensure we get  things moving in the right direction". It would have been a whole lot better if I would have said "This change is good for the team. This guy will be a great fit and I got his and your back and I assure you that he will succeed in this account".  Everyone buys in to someone who can speak convincingly.

We are only human beings and likability is an important trait especially when moving up the corporate ladder. One of my immediate superiors resigned this year. He is a brilliant communicator, driven, someone who gives energy, has a plan and executes his plan.  He made it clear that he was looking to move up and he worked really hard throughout his tenure at the company. He was not liked by a key leader despite giving his best. Alas,  he knew in his guts that he was not going to get what he wanted and resigned. I personally believe that likability has deprived him the opportunity to move further along in the company. It was an appropriate move on his part to seek opportunities elsewhere. C'est la vie. Learn to exercise the power of likability.

Self-convicing is a fallacy. When my ex-superior talked about this "key leader", he was always diplomatic and spoke of this person with reverence. I was not convinced by his responses. After he left the company, it became clear to me that he was not trying to convince me but himself.  Nevertheless he tried. I learned to remind myself to follow my heart. Things will happen in due time. Self-convincing is a waste of time.

Spiders on Christmas

At a Christmas tree decorating party, I picked up a gold spider ornament from the box, unfortunately one of the legs broke. The host rushed over to assess the breakage and proceeded to tell me about the folk legend —On Christmas eve night, the spiders sneaked into the room ,climbed onto the decorated tree, touched every branch and twig so they can see all the lovely shining things. As they crept all over the tree, they left behind a trail of spider web. When the Christ child came to bless the tree, he  saw the joy of the spiders and also the mother's disappointment to see her beautiful tree shrouded in spider web. So the Christ child touched the spider webs and they turned into sparkling gold and sliver. And that's why there are tinsel on Christmas tree and a custom to include a gold or silver spider ornament among the decorations on the tree. 

I am not sure what will happen to the little gold spider with the broken leg. I hope the host will fix it in time for Christmas.  

Merry Christmas to all!

What is your personal brand ?

I have been mulling over this question for the past few days— "What is my personal brand?". I have attended a meeting where the guest speaker had asked us to think about our personal brand and then to share our personal brand with the person next to us. I was so consumed with the question that I had failed to listen to the person next to me. I have no recollection of whatever that was shared with me. As it happened quickly, my response to the individual was "My personal brand is to do the best in everything I do".

Looking back, while my personal brand sounded rather cliché and at the same time I suspect there are a lot of truth in the statement. It was the first thing that came to me when I was under the time pressure to share something. I am not known to make up things. It was impromptu and without analysis paralysis which is a good data point during reflection. 

Now that I have given it some thought, I will respond with the following when I am presented with the same question in future.

 

My personal brand is to seek out things that I love to do and do the things very well. I want to embody the spirit of experimentation and exploration. Based on my experience, when I do the things that I love, new opportunities will be presented to me in some ways or forms.

This reminds me of a quote from Winston Churchill—

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.