The speaker, such a nice old man, first talked to us about his carrer with many different oil companies. I guess that type of work interests him. He then began talking about the importance of networking, and other such skills needed in the workplace, or really for life. Networking is something my mother has always taught me. She always told me. "It is not what you know, but who you know", which to a certain extent describes much of what he talked about last night. It is actuallyt quite relevant in my life right now. I was looking for somewhere to work back home over the holidays. I had heard Chick fil A was hiring for Christmas break, so i called them. I mentioned that I knew people that worked there, one of them including the talented Abigail Caitlyn. From that, I got an interview this Saturday. So, shout out to Abbie! Also, wish me luck on this interview. I really need it you guys.
He talked about business and his observations on corporations. He mentioned a lot of helpful things.
From the employee perspective, what matters??
He said a successful employee exhibits the following:
*show up
*be prepared
*be profesional
*do the right things the right way, consistently
*exceed expectations
I think these are all very important characteristics and actions to display in the workforce, especially in a corporate place.
Prepared:
Have scenarios in your head, that way nothing can go wrong. This, I think, applies to what I want to do. In nursing, you are always going to have to be thinking on your feet and dealing with new and different situations all the time. However, if you have planned out in your head what to do for each situation (scenario), then most of the time you will not have problems.
He told us to "burn the midnight oil" if necessary. To a certain degree, I agree with that. But as his lecture continued, I got the sense that his career was his life. For some people, that is great. However, I want to be a balanced person. I do not want my entire focus in my life to be my career.
Communication, of course is a big one. We all need to know how to communicate effectively, no matter what career path we choose. I think that is something that is crucially important in any field. Demonstrating what you know matters more than what you actually know.
Doing the right thing...?
That is a field that was quite fuzzy between the two of us. The way he described what he thought was right was a little sketchy, being a little hazy in his explanation. What matters to him, or to that specific company, may be different for someone else somewhere else. So, I think that is a very subjective matter.
It is important to learn the rules of effective team building. "Teams" will be everywhere. Simply, it is important for everyone to know how to work with others, because people will be doing that for the rest of their lives.
He also talked about integrity, which is something I highly value. I was very pleased when he brought this up. He said, "You never want to say anything not true. You loose credibility." He was definitely right. This also applies to what I want to do. I can't be telling patients wrong or guessed answers. It is better to tell them I do not know and I will figure it out. It could be a serious matter, like giving someone false hope, or false bad news.
He told us to capture opportunity and be on top. He told us that in order to exceed expectations, we must manage our expectations by learning to communicate, clarify, anticipate, and review our performance.
KISS- Keep It Simple Stupid!! <-- This was hilarious, and I have heard it before. (My 6th grade math teacher.)
Perception is Reality:
The people you work for only know what they see you do. People are watching you, always.
The way you look, the way you dress, and the way you carry yourself is very important because not only is that their first impression of you, but that is most of what they see.
The next part of my discussion will be focused on what i don't agree with, but things that I do see the productive aspects of.
He talked about the importance of office etiquette and conformity. They way he presented it, it seemed as if he would change himself to fit his job. Although he did say it was important to find the right culture in your workplace that fits you. However, he did stress the importance of being the person they want you to be.
This reminds me of my favorite show, How I Met Your Mother.
Marshall starts working in the corporate world and "changes", or so his wife says. Anyways, the point is he had to change many of the things he valued most to fit the job he had to do, to work in the corporate world. I NEVER want to work in Corporate America. EVER. That is definitely not where I should be.
But, many of the things he said tonight were helpful for me and my career.
Cheers my friends!
Anna :)
P.S. I don't think this will be the last blog, by the way.
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