Raise your hand if you made a New Year's resolution? Keep it up if you haven't broken it yet. 😂😂😂 I gave up on making New Year's resolutions years ago. They weren't goals I could keep. Instead, I think of things I want to work towards each year (like being more patient with my kids). I wonder if Tiger Woods, Zion Williamson or Eli Manning make resolutions? This was a HUGE sports week with so much to learn about our own careers. From Zion - who is just starting his NBA career with the whole world watching to Eli - who is retiring from the NFL, we can learn a lot just by watching (and reading).
So take a quick coffee break and check out what's happening this week in the news to help you learn how to better manage your own career.
Here's this week top 3 Career-Maker's :
1. Zion Williamson Starts His First "Job" (aka NBA Career) with a Bang By Preparing
The pressure is HUGE. REALLY REALLY HUGE. Could you imagine starting a new job at a global company with, say, 100,000+ employees and having them all (each and every one) watch how you perform on Day 1? Not only would everyone be watching, they would be allowed to evaluate and assess your performance. Talk about continuous feedback.
And Zion knows it. He went through intense rehab from a knee injury and couldn't even recover without being criticized. Tom Haberstroh on NBC Sports reported that Zion explained, “I think the biggest challenge has been just the challenge of rehab,” Williamson said. “You know how tough it is, for hours, people watching you, how you land, how you bend when you do this motion -- over and over? ‘Make sure that knee doesn’t cave in. Make sure it stays out. Make sure it’s above the third toe. Make sure you’re standing straight. Land like this.’ Even when I’m out on the court, it’s still the same thing.”
Not only does he get critiqued for his performance, Zion's body is intensely scrutinized too. Could you imagine if ESPN reporters spent valuable air time discussing a woman's weight and body?
What does this mean for the rest of us who are onboarded without the entire world watching? Some companies include onboarding as part of the employee experience - sending emails, details and information days and weeks before the employee actually starts. These employees are prepared and ready to start.
Others don't do a great job. Employees show up like a deer in headlights without any information. Either way, like Zion, we still need to do our best but keep some perspective. It is the first day of a long career. You can prepare ahead of time if the company doesn't help you out - spend time reading and researching the company's website, filings (if it is public), news, twitter feed, etc. Start immersing yourself in their business and culture. Fortunately, you don't need to make 3, 3 pointers in a row. You just need to watch and observe. ....and maybe learn where the bathrooms are located.
2. Eli Manning is Retiring...from the NFL...Respectfully
He's won 2 superbowls. He's played NFL football for 16 seasons (long by a lot of standards) and is considered one of the best quarterbacks to hit the field. But I am not here to debate his career stats. I will leave that for ESPN.
The big question will be - what's next for Eli? If he follows in his brother's footsteps, he will redefine the next phase of his career to include endorsements and sports commentating. But what I think we can really learn from Eli is how he handled the last season with his beloved Giants.
The big question will be - what's next for Eli? If he follows in his brother's footsteps, he will redefine the next phase of his career to include endorsements and sports commentating. But what I think we can really learn from Eli is how he handled the last season with his beloved Giants.
Getting transitioned "out" of an organization isn't easy. Some companies will fire you without a moments notice, walk you to the door and not even let you collect your belongings. Other firms realize the importance of maintaining goodwill when terminating people and the impact on other employees who aren't being fired - keeping up morale.
The Giants and Eli both realized it was time for him to sunset his professional quarterbacking days. Between Eli's professionalism, success and commitment to the organization - and the professionalism and respect shown him by the Giants organization - he was treated as respectfully as possible. He played most of the last season on the bench as a backup quarterback. He supported his team but read the writing on the wall.
Eli teaches us that we can still transition out of an organization with our heads held high, proud of our accomplishments, and land on top. He is writing his own story. Many people ask "why me" when getting fired but instead of rebounding, are unable to regroup, remind themselves of their importance and move on. Eli teaches us how - and why - it is important to move on. Just because you get fired doesn't mean you are any less important or your accomplishments are diminished. Sometimes it is just a matter of - the wrong place and the wrong time. Use it as an opportunity to find something even better.
3. Tiger Woods Hasn't Given Up - He's in Contention at Farmers Insurance Open
To me, this is the appropriate story follow-up after discussing Eli's transition out of the Giants, especially since his last few seasons were not what he wanted in terms of his performance. Tiger rose to stardom and then fell from grace for many reasons. But he never gave up. He didn't let the sports pundits and talkshows sway him from regrouping, training harder and staying in the career he chose (the sport he loves).
He recognizes that there is always newer, younger talent. After playing with Collin Morikawa, Tiger commented: “Well, he's a lot younger than I am,” Woods said with a smile, when asked about playing with Collin Morikawa, a 22-year-old Tour winner. “It was great to be out there with him. He hits it solid. I mean, he's not a real big guy, but hits the ball very solid and has a very, very bright career ahead of him.”
And that is a very important statement. Being over 40 doesn't make you over the hill. But it does feel like the competition is fierce and that it is harder to find a job. It may not REALLY be that way, but it certainly FEELS it. What does that mean for the "older" workforce? You should want to work with anyone who can perform and produce results, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender or anything else. Yes, you might be interviewed by someone half your age who doesn't know what to ask, but that means you need to know how to help them along with the interview and give them the answers they need. You can't change the way the world works. You need to adapt.
Key Takeaways:
1. Be prepared for your new job on day one - regardless of whether you were appropriately "onboarded". Prepare for the role like you did for the interview.
2. Your career is constantly evolving. It may involve a few bumps like being transitioned out. Take control of your career. Learn when to leave and how to leave. Use it as an opportunity to redefine the next phase of your life and find a new opportunity that better aligns with both your professional and personal goals.
2. Your career is constantly evolving. It may involve a few bumps like being transitioned out. Take control of your career. Learn when to leave and how to leave. Use it as an opportunity to redefine the next phase of your life and find a new opportunity that better aligns with both your professional and personal goals.
3. There will always be someone younger and smarter who might be able to do it better. That doesn't make you obsolete. Keep working hard, stay in the game, and find the right place to work where they value you and you value everyone else. Remember, you still have a lot to offer in terms of leadership and expertise.
Have a great weekend!
No comments:
Post a Comment