E. Focus on Value

Value is what you contribute against what you get.

The higher your work offers value, the faster you grow.

To find value:

Learn the work that offers higher value
                        OR
Find whqat you love doing and identify how it can add value.

D. Experiment

Experimenting is critical for learning.

Try things out. See if it works. If it does, you learn. If it doesn't, you still learn.

You remember 100% of what you learn by experimenting.

C. Learn - But Act On It ... Execute

You learn the most, not by reading, but by doing. You cannot learne Swimming by reading a book. You have to dive.

Do something with what you learn.

See what wroks, and what doesn't.

Do more of what works.

That is how you build expertise, isn' it ?

B. Learn Constantly

Learning is not a one time event. It is a lifelong process.

Remain curious.

Some sources of learning: Books, Friends, Blogs, Websites, Wikipedia, YouTube ...

Pursue Certifications. Participate in seminars.

If you "want to" learn, sources are many.

A. Do What you Love Doing !!

Life is too short to spend eight hours a day doing something you don't care about.

Passion breeds excellence !!

Ask this often in your career: "Am I enjoying it ?"

Success in Your Career ...

Over the next 26 weeks I am going to post a Career A-Z for Success in Your Career, this is based on a presentation by Tanmay Vora (http://qaspire.com/). The presentation has ALLOT of good/common sense information in it ... that many of us have forgotten.

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You're on your own. An you know what you know.
You are the one who'll decide where to go" Dr. Seuss

Young Students/Professional (i.e. YOU) are the future of our business, economy and our organizations.

Getting a "job" is not the destination. It is the beginning of a journey.

The journey of growth. The journey of becoming. The journey of expressing yourself in your area of work.

The goal of this presentation ... To help aspiring students and professionals in navigating through the complexities of this wonderful journey.

18 Tips for Receiving Feedback ...

DO:


1. Seek feedback on a regular basis, especially after you have identified development goals. Exchanging information and perceptions is a process, not a single event.

2. Receive feedback as a gift that provides you with honest information about your perceived behavior/performance. Be open to what you will hear.

3. Let the person finish what he or she is saying.

4. Try to paraphrase what you are being told, either back to the person or in your own mind.

5. Ask clarifying questions.

6. Ask for specifics, if not provided.

7. Ask the person to give you alternatives to your behavior.

8. Monitor your nonverbal and emotional responses.

9. Thank the person for being helpful to you.

10. Take the time after the feedback interaction to evaluate the information and consider specific actions for improvements.

11. Teach yourself to recognize situations in which a certain behavior needs to be altered. Feedback can help you self-monitor your behavior at times when you are less than optimally effective.

12. Use feedback to clarify goals, track progress toward those goals, and to improve the effectiveness of your behaviors over a period of time.


DON’T:


13. Take it personally.

14. Become defensive or explain your behavior. (You can either spend your time mobilizing your defenses or you can spend your time listening. Defending your actions is counterproductive, where listening is extremely useful.)

15. Interrupt the other person.

16. Be afraid to allow pauses and periods of silence when you receive feedback. This gives you time to understand what is being said and it gives the other person time to think about what they say.

17. Ask the person to defend his or her opinion (there is a difference between “defending” and “explaining”). Feedback is purely subjective perceptions of information. You can place your own value on it later.

18. Don’t make excuses or try to explain your behavior.



Posted by Dan McCarthy on the Great Leadership Blog