When it comes to growing your career, conventional wisdom provides us with a familiar formula: Attend a competitive college, secure a great first job, work hard to prove yourself, earn projects and promotions, and successfully climb the ladder.
There’s nothing wrong with this formula. There’s a reason why we follow it. It’s a successful formula.
But what if there were an even better way? An unexpectedly fulfilling way?
We are all so laser-focused on achieving our goals and moving the ball forward that we may be missing something and not even know we are missing it. A different perspective. An unconsidered path. An unexplored option. An unexpected choice. And, as the saying goes, “you don’t know what you don’t know.”
The answer? People. A circle of people. A circle of wise, wonderful people who know you, care about you, and want you to succeed. Sometimes in unexpected ways. These people see you objectively from the outside and can ask the question, “Have you considered this?”
Who are these people? In the Harvard Business Review article, “The Key to Career Growth: Surround Yourself With People Who Will Push You,” these people are eloquently described as “companions on my journey, offering honest feedback, helping me to discover new identities and pushing me to become a highly different yet significantly better version of myself.”
If you don’t have people like this in your circle, it’s time to proactively develop these relationships.
Cultivating relationships with the right mix of people is key to professional and personal growth. Seek out a strong, diverse cross-section of strong, thoughtful people – superiors in your company, leaders in your industry, trailblazers in other industries, educational mentors. Choose people whom you trust and hold in high regard, who will challenge you to set the bar high and push you to achieve it.
Here are some things to consider:
Start with the people who inspire you. Begin with people who you admire – they have something to teach you, regardless of what they do.
Don’t hesitate to ask questions. Find out more about what they do, how they do it, and the path they have walked.
Develop the relationship. Spend thoughtful, quality time together. Give as much as you take.
Ask the truly big questions. Don’t be afraid to let them all the way in – that’s where the magic happens.
Be open and receptive. Allow their thoughts, experiences, and perceptions to permeate your thinking. Consider things from their angle.
Let them push you. The right people will set the bar high for you. Accept the challenge. Make it happen.
Expanding your circle to include these people will make you a better, stronger, more complete version of you. They will give you the confidence to act on your instincts, expand your current capabilities, take ownership of your life, and be true to yourself.
They will make you unstoppable.
We’d love to be part of your trusted circle and help you grow your career by finding you a job that is the right fit for you!
