Believe it or not, we have already lived the first 100 days of 2023! Here are 10 leadership and career lessons I have learnt so far this year. Which one relates to you?
- Some people are just not motivated enough at work. Maybe they are not interested or maybe their actual interest is in something else. However, until they find that thing, they will struggle to excel.
- Promotion is like a delicacy. Almost nobody will reject it, even when they probably don’t deserve it.
- A good leader should balance the task and exposure within a team. An imbalanced team will create excellent players and laggards, but a balanced team will make everybody great in at least one way.
- Your reputation is history, and your performance today is the real currency. If you were great in the past, that is good for you; but if you don’t deliver today, you will be history tomorrow.
- Organisational change will always happen in large corporates. But no matter what is changing, when an organisation truly wants you, they will make a place for you in the storm.
- When you begin managing a new team, listen to words on the streets. There may be people in the team who think they can do your job and wonder why you were employed.
- Keep good relationships with your former colleagues and teammates. The wider your professional network, the more career opportunities come your way.
- Even when you are angry, watch your words. A harsh word said in anger can linger in people’s mind and block your future opportunities.
- Even our senior leaders do not know everything. Sometimes, we are in a situation where no one knows how to handle. In times like this, we just need to bring our seniors along, get on the same page and work together to discover a way out of the challenge, together.
- We all need a support system. As you go up the ladder, you will handle major things and larger problems. If you don’t have anyone to talk to, your mental health will suffer, and when you become unfit to work or you die, the company will replace you.
Bonus
As businesses try to stay afloat in a difficult environment, temptation is rising to reduce the role of marketing to driving short-term sales. True marketing professionals should resist this temptation and convince people that the essence of marketing is to build brands that improve lives and get rewarded in that process. Long live marketing! Cheers to a wonderful year in 2023!
>>the writer is a Marketing Leader with a track-record of delivering growth while managing or consulting for some of West Africa’s most familiar brands. Eric is a people-centred leader who combines the power of marketing with the execution rigour of general management. He specialises in brands marketing and strategy, business management, communication, media and PR. Contact [email protected]
