Wherever you are in your career stop and look carefully at your past history. Some people have little knowledge about their preparation to be the one who is qualified to lead a company. In your career have you diversified your knowledge of the functional parts of a company?
Perhaps you were offered the top position because you had potential and only some knowledge of what it takes to be CEO. If you were flattered by the offer yet knowing that you were not qualified, you accepted the position. Certainly, you will have a moonlight period but six or nine months down the road you are floundering and are not certain of your decisions. Nevertheless, you carry on as though you know what you are doing. Either you will be asked to resign, or get fired, and that always affects an ego.
Being a CEO is about knowledge, diversity, experience, relationships and if you lack these qualities, start where you are and climb the ladder. Many of us took positions we learned from and moved into positions step-by-step. This means building relationships, professional development, and gaining diversified experience in many arenas. All this is not accomplished in one day, one week, one year but over a reasonable period of time. It may mean educating yourself and being in positions that help you reach your goal.
As a young professional, there were times that I was put in a tenuous position. Therefore, I depended on those who had expertise in various topics and consulted authors who researched the topics that were unfamiliar to me. To this day, I consult with those who have the experience, knowledge and relationships that lead me to making good decisions. Build your support system and you will always have someone who has your back.
Being a CEO is far from being a walk in the park, and be realistic about your knowledge of the facts. Are you ready to take on the many issues that confront companies each day? Do you know what they might be? Let me give you a thumbnail sketch of those issues. Often the bottom line are finances and maintaining the revenue and increasing that revenue is paramount to the company surviving. Next and equally important is fulfilling the mission of the company. This involves topics like relationships, experience, knowledge of many facts gathered over many months and years. If you are a novice in these areas will you be successful?
Not all CEO's are capable of addressing the above issues and make wrong decisions. The truth of the matter is, it is often a black mark on the company and tends to be the thing that brings down a workable organization.
You may have the potential, but is that enough to project you into a a position that requires discretion and knowledge in many different areas? Trying it out is not like trying out new shoes.Be true to yourself and do not get tied up in the company's need to fill a position. Your career choices are important and a wrong decision on your part may be the end of your climb to the ladder of success.
Gloria M. Reiske is an MSW, LCSW with more than thirty years experience in education, administration, social work, and coaching. She has authored many articles and is published in local media, having written a men and grief manual for training purposes throughout Virginia and an article for children and grief. Email her at gloriareiske@blogspot.com and check out this article on Facebook.
I'm in the process of reading David Brooks book, "The Road to Character" and it is both historical and current. It is very provocative and talks about how we function and how we conduct our lives.
It is quite apparent that over time we have evolved from believing that we are self-effacing, soothing and gracious to self-promoting, fragile, and jarring as Brooks has so aptly written. Adolescents that I know are either less than humble, fostered by parents and supporters, or service oriented and often doing for others and joining charitable causes. Those whose limited understanding of humility in adolescent years stoked by family and friends, choose to flatter and fawn them through adulthood. If that is the case, you are certain to have self-promoting individuals who are blind to the global issues of the day.
What we hear about these days is division, dilemmas, and more, but where are those who firmly believe that we are a nation of great character, externally and internally? There are those in my family who respect each other and fully understand what it means to be self-effacing. These people are in the majority. Why? We don't hear enough about their good deeds but we do hear about the erraticism of the self-promoting.
Remember that self-promoting often means you are pounding your chest in service of yourself. While you are charting your course believe that you are self-effacing. Joshua Marine wrote, "Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful".
If this sounds like riddles, read the words carefully. Once you are in your first, second or third job are you considering another job? If so, will you chart your course according to your needs or is it about what you think you know. That is a serious point and when you make your final decision do not be influenced by new money in your eyes. You can argue that you want a better life that you can indulge in but is all this worth the effort.
What are you missing? Here is the fact! You are missing time with family and friends, a time to cherish and you never get it back. Not all promotions or job changes are in service of all, but chart your course and be true to yourself.
Gloria M. Reiske is an MSW, LCSW with more than thirty years experience in education, administration, social work, and coaching. She has authored many articles and is published in local media, having written a men and grief manual for training purposes throughout Virginia and an article for children and grief. Email her at gloriareiske@blogspot.com and check out this article on Facebook.
Rise to the opportunity you have to be first, not second-hand citizens. For many years, many females historically have stood up loud and proud to make changes that reverberate today. Names that come to mind are, Eleanor Roosevelt, Marie Curie, Saint Mother Theresa, Sandra Day O'Connor, Indiri Gandhi, Pearl Buck, LaDonna Harris, Louisa May Alcott, Susan B. Anthony.
From what I read there are still major problems like pay inequality, veteran's care, and much more, but another female is willing and has the ability to correct these inadequacies. Trust seems to be a major issue but as I watch TV and read many reviews, there is constant repetition of the same old story. The women I mentioned struggled hard to overcome their own issues because, as I see it, they were in the minority. Nevertheless, they pursued their beliefs with some putting their lives at great risk. Were they viewed as trustworthy? The answer to that is really revealed historically. Read their biographies and then make your decision.
When you fight for getting a voice that benefits people you may be called an opportunist, self-serving, dishonest, and yet you keep moving on toward your beliefs.
When you sit back and complain but are not active, you lose. When you attack another human being, without any evidence, you lose.
Some of us only hear what sounds great. Do you honestly believe everything you hear?
Can you sift through the rhetoric and decipher the truth? This is true in your personal and professional life. Listen carefully and be astute about not being a martyr or influenced by anyone that seems to have the answer.
All females have a right to speak up when they believe strongly on an issue they are passionate about. Not only speak out but talk about your cause and start the conversation. Who knows that your idea and cause may take hold and you will have great support. To sit back and do nothing is sad and unacceptable. Come on females, stand up and be counted. Live up to your standard and go beyond your comfort zone.
Age has nothing to do with this issue. Whether you are young or older, get your idea on the table.
Be forceful enough to pursue your dream and then live it.Gloria M. Reiske, LCSWMatt28gmr@gmail.comCheck out this article on Facebook.
Perhaps you were offered the top position because you had potential and only some knowledge of what it takes to be CEO. If you were flattered by the offer yet knowing that you were not qualified, you accepted the position. Certainly, you will have a moonlight period but six or nine months down the road you are floundering and are not certain of your decisions. Nevertheless, you carry on as though you know what you are doing. Either you will be asked to resign, or get fired, and that always affects an ego.
