UPLIFT: March 17, 2022

PERSPECTIVE

Easy and simple are not one and the same thing. We often tend to use them interchangeably.

Getting rich is simple. It requires us to spend less than we earn, and stay invested for the long term. Yet it’s not easy to let go of the temptation to buy more or pull out the money when the market falls.

Having good health is simple. It requires us to eat & drink right, exercise regularly, and balance work, sleep and play. Yet it’s not easy to do.

Easy things aren’t rewarding and Simple things aren’t always easy.

Simple things become easier when they become habits.

Professional conundrum

How important is to contribute to organizational initiatives outside of your day job?

In most mid-sized and large companies, from time to time, there are organizational initiatives that are run. These can take forms of running a knowledge sharing session to organizing a virtual or in person events, planning team building activities, preparing for a capability road show, etc. While these aren’t clearly called out in KRAs or even responsibilities at the beginning of the year, contributions to them become table stake expectations from the management.

The more senior you get in your career, the more you need to contribute to them. It’s an unsaid expectation. Often, the choice is not whether to participate in them or not, but choosing the right ones to contribute to based on other commitments on your plate (personally and professionally), the size of the opportunity (in terms of responsibility, sponsors), and your area of expertise. I have seen many a career catapulted on the back of significant contributions to these events, while keeping the lights on for your day job.

For those in the early to mid-career, contributions here are an added feather in your cap., though not a mandated expectation. It does give a fantastic opportunity though to build a network with people outside of your immediate team/ business groups (that’s invaluable in larger organizations), as well as showcase your leadership/ organizational skills that may have well remained latent in your day job.

However, this doesn’t mean you need to stretch every time and contribute to such events/ activities at the cost of your core responsibilities or personal time. There is always a choice that you have. You need to balance your desire to do more with your bandwidth and mind space, for these opportunities aren’t finite and keeping flowing through quite frequently.

POINT TO PONDER

What is the one habit you would invest in building that will amplify your professional success?