All-Purpose Career Tips Cheat Sheet 101 v2
Dear Corporate America. Please stop scaring the bejesus out of so many people.
Dear Corporate America. Please stop scaring the bejesus out of so many people. I know you’re not that bad. I’ve been inside you for the better part of my 20+ career. And during the last 10 at an executive level, I’ve seen all the shit. Even in the face of the biggest jerks and through the most perplexing times, I know you don’t mean to be mean. There is an opportunity for us all to find purpose and happiness. And whether we call you Corporate America or just what it is like to try building a career in any setting. I wrote the below to help the good people be comfortable, confident, and human along the way. The next generations will reinvent your culture, which is a good thing, and I want to empower them. As such, I wrote this to help anyone who may benefit from a simple cheat sheet to better navigate you.
This just scratches the surface. Much more to come.
Much Love,
Two Analogy’s as A Preface
Your career is like learning to drive
At first, it feels like you’re doing 100 when you are really only doing 20 tops out of the gate.
You will get more comfortable with the speed and the responsibility of what is in your control.
It’s okay to embrace being confident in your ability to “drive”, but never get cocky.
Accidents will happen. You will learn, and you will get better and more comfortable.
You will start to notice all the peccadillos of everyone on the road (including your own). Then you settle into a comfortable speed that works for you.
As you start to master “driving”, you should look for ways to improve both the car and the experience for everyone else on the road around you.
Your career is not dissimilar from a sports career
Every moment presents opportunity to do something great (or at least pretty good ), but it’s never about one shot or one at bat; it’s about long-term sustainable quality. A career isn’t about a single project or even one good or bad year, its about the entirety of what you are able to do.
The further you go and the better you get, there is more pressure and more work. Same as going deep into the playoffs, there is more pressure and more work/practice needed.
The biggest difference between your first, second, fifth and tenth “season” is simply experience and perspective that is invaluable.
Like it or not, Corporate America is a team sport. You may find often that you need to be the person in the locker room rallying others. If you were an athlete who wanted a great career, you would always help those around you be there best too. Never forget that also applies to your career in a work environment.
I could dive much deeper into both analogies but let’s get into the practical tips…
Timm’s Two Cents
Purpose & Happiness
First and foremost, make sure whatever you do makes you happy
Find purpose in your work by trying this easy exercise; write a sentence or two that describes what you do in the most positive way possible, making it about how you help others, this could be a place of focus for the purpose in your current role
EX – Someone who works at McDonald’s taking orders could say “I make sure people have a good experience while they are getting an affordable meal that they enjoy”
If you want to be happier in the workplace, try this perspective:
Truly believe that you can learn something from everyone that you come across
Be forever interested in what makes everyone else who they are, and why they think the way they think because those answers will help make you more well-rounded in a multitude of ways
Look to turn frustration into curiosity by replacing “I can’t believe” kind of statements with “I wonder why” type of questions
Know that some of the most difficult working relationships can be your greatest gifts/learning opportunities
Beware of the emotional roller coaster that can be the meeting to meeting, email to email highs and lows; it is never as bad as it may feel in the moment so try to stay balanced as best you can
Never forget – the door only locks one way; you are never stuck, you are deciding to go back the next day (we may not like what it means if we don’t go back/quit but that doesn’t mean that the choice is still not ours)
2. Confidence
Never forget – no one is better than you, you are not better than anyone, we are all just different
Never change what makes you who you are, you are more than good enough when you apply yourself
Your uniqueness as a human is what makes you exceptional
Temper your expectations of others but still believe in them, trust them and give them benefit of the doubt
Your “weirdest” ideas might be your best ones, document them and welcome others to poke holes until you either:
Conclude the idea absolutely will not work (which is totally okay)
Fill all the holes and the idea has come to life
If you can get comfortable with uncomfortable conversation while consistently being the one to take the high road then you will become one of the most critical contributors to any organization
EX – strategy debate, conflict resolution, radical candor, performance reviews, etc.
3. CEO Skills For Everyone
Ask a ton of questions and don’t be afraid to ask others to clarify or explain something, even if it’s for a second time
Being calm, kind, and curious can all be superpowers in your career; combine them consistently for remarkable results
Understand the why behind an organization’s macro goals – both holistically and by department
Be mindful that every interaction that you have every day is building your brand
These are the micro-opportunities all day every day that lead to long term prosperous careers
If you want to stand out, do so by helping those around you do their best work and do not be quick to take the credit for it
If you sincerely want to grow your career and do so faster than others, ask for more responsibility but ask for nothing in return, and do that for what could be a potentially uncomfortably long period of time (it pays off when you think it won’t)
Get good at radical candor, patience and empathy
Understand that complaining is a waste of time and boring to others; curiosity is the jam
Raise your hand a lot to volunteer for things that may sound cheesy but have broader impact like company Beliefs & Values committee – some of those spaces could be your biggest opportunity to change a culture for the better
Ask a f-load of questions
Don’t forget that CEOs are generalists in that they oversee everything from Marketing to Finance; therefore, it’s better to know a little about a lot versus being too focused in just one are of the business
Build relationships with those outside your department on a human and professional level
Consider even taking notes so that you remember things like kids’ names and birthdays
Get really good at managing expectations
4. Communication Skills
Your emails should be easy to understand, the purpose should be clear both in who it is directed to and what should/should not happen next
Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call people when things get off the rails in email
Be clear, concise and direct in all your communication while layering in a bit of your personality too (it’s okay to be friendly and personable )
Get good at being able to tell simple stories about complex subjects
Poke holes in your own work, especially presentations and then address gaps up front instead of trying to dance around them
Tone and approach should never be overlooked as it can impact someone’s day or the health of a project simply by how calm, direct and concise you may or may not be
There is nothing wrong with being vocal if you are polite and mindful of the impact your perspective can bring in any given conversation
There is also nothing wrong with being quiet to absorb and digest before reacting/responding
Passive aggressive communication is a waste of time
Office gossip will bite you in the arse at some point, so steer clear
Get good at being the “______ whisperer” (IE – the person that can translate the thoughts of others in advance)
As often as you can, be super clear about when you will get something done/follow up/etc., and then live up to it consistently (IE - do what you say you are going to do)
5. Other Stuff
You know those TikTok posts about how to ask for a raise, please take them with a heavy grain of salt, do what makes you comfortable and please refer to my doc on raises for more on this topic
You know those TikTok posts about negotiating your salary, please take them with a heavy grain of salt
Progress always beats perfection
Don’t be afraid to be human at work and build relationships on a human level
I understand that your company is not “family”, but you are spending a huge chunk of time with these people; let yourself be trusting and interested in building rapport because it makes everything else that much more fun
There is never a “right time to move on to the next job” until you have a next job offer in front of you to make a decision about
Its okay to take micro steps throughout your career to network, consistently update your resume, keep your LinkedIn updated, apply for other jobs, etc. as long as you are not doing it during work hours
Progress always beats perfection
Always take the time to appreciate the effort behind anything you are asking of others
It will be exhausting to take the high road all the time, but it is so worth it in the long run
Be nice, work hard, have fun
Thank you for this information. At what point does accepting more responsibility without anything in return turn into being taken advantage of for your skills?