I’ve been promoted 8 times and multiplied my salary by 10 in the corporate world.
I’ve revealed the principles that helped me succeed but not the mistakes that slowed me down.
So here are the 7 mistakes that slowed me down in my corporate career (and could save you time in yours).
Mistake #1: I worried too much.
When I reread my diary (7 years of history).
I can see how many cases have tormented me.
I imagined the worst-case scenarios in my head.
In 99% of the time, they never took place.
What I’ve learned
Don’t let bad scenarios run on a loop in your head. They slow you down.
Write them, imagine the worst-case scenario and the options you would have.
Done!
You’ve gone from a situation that haunts to an option you can manage.
A link to various articles on how to make the most of a journal
Mistake N°2: I’ve associated myself with my result.
When I started, it depended (almost) entirely on me.
The return on investment was immediate.
The more prospects I visited, the better I got at communicating, the more I sold.
As my career progressed, I became a generalist (Managing Director, COO).
The process of creating impact has become longer and more complex.
Over time, it pays off. And the victories are even sweeter.
But I was my own worst boss. When my slide was red, I felt red.
It took me a while to disassociate myself from my result.
What I’ve learned
We’re never red or green. We are much more than our result.
Mistake #3: Giving too much of my time.
It’s fascinating, exciting and interesting. I was caught up in it.
Sometimes, too much.
And when we enter the “too much” zone, we’re always disappointed.
We think the company doesn’t give us enough back.
But no company can satisfy us when we are in “too much.”
And it’s not just true in the corporate.
When we start our own business, we’re not immune.
Knowing my penchant for “too much,” I’ve solved the problem (or so I think 😀) in my coaching business. I work 6 hours a day maximum and give myself 10/12 weeks of vacation.
What I’ve learned
Constraints make me more creative and productive.
We have plenty of time to make our dreams come true.
Even when it’s interesting, set yourself constraints.
These three are the most effective and simplest I know.
Mistake No. 4: Doing for others (a bad idea).
At the start of my career. My impatience was showing too much. ( still working on it.)
I mistakenly thought that doing things for others would make us move faster.
This was not true.
What I’ve learned
My collaborators were bursting with talent.
If I offered them questions rather than answers, they found more creative and interesting ways than I could.
7 mistakes that slowed me down in my corporate career
Illustration by Roberto Ferraro.
Mistake N°5: Putting too much tension into my exchanges.
Integrity is an essential value for me.
And I’ve sometimes misused it.
When I did the hard work of brainstorming with the teams, and we found a satisfactory solution to an ambiguous situation.
I took on the mission (integrity) of passing it on to my boss and peers.
But I was going with the wrong intention…
They’re too far away from the problem; they can’t contribute much.
My mission was to get my team’s idea across.
What I’ve learned
Because you’re far away from a problem, you can see it differently.
What I’ve started to do. Take my integrity to another level.
My message to the team. “We’ve made good progress together, so let me have a round with my boss and peers, and see how they can enrich our proposal.” I was more open, and our options became better.
Mistake #6: Not using my authority enough
There is a time for exchange and a time for decision.
When we can’t agree and time is running out, a decision has to be made.
At first, I found it hard to take on this role.
It still happens with my kids (but if you ask them, they’ll probably tell you otherwise😀).
What I’ve learned
We never have 100% of the data we need to decide. If the decision is reversible, it’s better to make it quickly, even if it means adjusting later, rather than letting it linger.
Mistake N°7: Not clear enough about principles, too tolerant
I have (sometimes) tolerated behavior not in line with team values for too long.
Asking someone to leave has always been one of my most difficult decisions.
I like Alan Mulally’s approach (former Ford president)
He set the scene for the behavioral values to be respected from the outset.
When one of his collaborators didn’t follow them.
He had a direct exchange where he asked him to decide. Either you change (I’ll help you. I can offer you a coach), or you decide to leave.
An excellent podcast where you can hear him reveal his leadership principles. ( By the way, Alan implemented the Stakeholder Centered Coaching methodology. He inspired me to launch my corporate business around it)
What I’ve learned
The clearer your values, the more you can help your employees choose (“I stay or I go”).
And there’s no excuse for dragging things out. Not even the results.
And finally…
The corporate world has given me a lot.
It offered me a challenging environment in which to grow.
Whether you’re working for a company, setting up a business or pursuing a passion, the most important thing is to find a vehicle you like. Once on board, the idea is to strive for continuous improvement.
By doing so, we increase our chances of finding meaning and growing.
Thank you 🙏
Dror Allouche
**
Question for you.
What were your mistakes? What lessons can you learn from them?
**
My discovery of the week
The film FLAMIN’ HOT… There are different paths to success, and this is a good example.
Last week’s more popular link.
**
If you liked this article, you’ll probably like my newsletter. Join a community of ambitious readers who want to succeed in their careers while enjoying their lives. Sign up here and receive it every Wednesday morning, straight to your inbox.
**
PS: Whenever you’re ready, here are 2 more ways I can help you accelerate your growth through coaching:
- You’re ambitious: you’ve already achieved a lot. And you intend to continue. But this time, you want to do it while enjoying the important things in your life. Curious? Click here.
- You lead a team: you know that a slight improvement in your leadership can significantly impact the team’s results and, therefore, your career. I was trained and certified by the world’s first executive coach, Marshall Goldsmith. I accompany you in your project and guarantee the result. You only pay me if you succeed. Curious? Let’s connect for a free call and see if we can work together
Join a community of ambitious readers who want to succeed in their careers.👇
Leave a Reply