CATEGORY:CEO Chronicles

The article, “Four Monkeys & An Elephant” narrated two fables about how we often shackle ourselves with past practices and negative self-belief. Subsequently, “How To Escape From Prison” described how a company broke away from its shackles to find a new and better future. Finally, this story, “Victim to CEO” is about how an individual finds his way to success breaking the shackles that threatened to imprison him.

Part 1 – The Victim Years

Episode 1 : 1968

The boy stood at the edge of the playground.

His classmates were kicking the football, running and laughing.

Two of his classmates ran past him. One looked in his direction.

“See, there’s Black Sambo! Hey Black Sambo!”

The other looked back.

“Hey, Blackie! What are you doing here? Go wash yourself!”

The boy turned to go. Just then, two seniors walked by. As they looked at him, one said something to the other, and both laughed.

“…what the hell does he eat? How did he get so fat…” their words trailed as they went past.

The boy dipped his head and walked to the classroom. He pulled out a book from his bag and started to read, even though his eyes were too moist to make out the words.

Episode 2 : 1970

The boy looked around at the vast wedding hall. Boy, was it huge! And so many people…

“Hello, boy!” It was an older couple dressed to their nines. “And who are you?”

The boy mumbled his parents’ names.

“Ah!” the man said and began moving away.

“…his brothers seem to be smart and handsome young men. But this one, no one knows where he came from. I hear they wanted a girl, you know. What a shock it must have been to get a fat darkie instead…”

The boy walked to the side doors of the hall, and sat on the steps, and pulled out a book.

Episode 3 : 1972

The boy stood in front of the teacher’s desk.

She looked at him sternly. “If this is your standard of work, you are never going to amount to anything! How can you make so many mistakes? Why can’t you check your work?”

The boy lowered his head and said nothing. He heard his classmates tittering behind him.

“Useless. Absolutely useless!” the teacher said. “Go back to your seat!”

Episode 4 : 1974

The boy walked past his parents’ bedroom.

“He wants to attend singing classes,” he heard his mother say.

“But he can’t sing. He can’t hold a tune!” his father replied.

“Yes, but I don’t want to hurt him. So, I told him that the teacher accepts only girls.”

Their voices faded as he moved on.

Part 2 – Breaking Free!

Preparing to launch : 1980

The young man sat on the college dormitory terrace, back against the wall. Four others lounged around him. In the centre were two bottles of cheap rum and a pile of potato wafers.

“So, what’s your story?” asked one of his friends, “What made you so good in academics? You’ve been topping every subject, every term! Were you always like this?”

The young man looked up and laughed shortly. “Absolutely not! Things were terrible when I was younger.”

“When I was a boy, no one believed in me. Not my family, not my teachers, and definitely not my classmates. So, I had no choice. I had learn how to ignore everyone else’s opinion and believe in myself.”

“Then, I realized that I did not have many talents. I wasn’t too intelligent. But I wanted to be someone. I wanted to be worthy of my belief. I learned that even if I am not clever, I can still work hard and start early. So, from the first day of the semester, I read the subjects again and again, until I understand them completely. I solve every question, twice or thrice, if necessary. I revise continuously. Basically, I make up for my shortfalls by planning, preparing and working.”

“If you hear a voice within you say, ‘you cannot paint’, then immediately start painting, and the voice will be silenced.”

Another friend spoke. “Isn’t it painful? Is this really what you want to do, or like doing?”

“Well”, said the young man, “I read somewhere that if you can’t be with the one you love, then you should love the one you’re with. To me this means – be happy in whatever I do, rather than just try and do what makes me happy. Does this make sense?”

The friend laughed. “I am not sure. So, let’s see – you believe in yourself, push yourself to your limits and try to find happiness in whatever you do. Most people would find that much effort and commitment too difficult to sustain!”

The young man nodded. “Nothing worthwhile is ever easy,” he said, as he sipped his drink.

Reaching orbital velocity : 1995

The man adjourned the meeting. His team and he were exhausted. It had been a grueling few weeks.

“One last word from me,” he said. “Thank you. Thank you to each and every one of you for the amazing efforts and commitment you have shown over the past two months. We have done everything we can. Now, win or lose, you are all my heroes!”

Smiles and applause broke out across the room.

“Also, for those of you are not going straight to bed, drinks are on me!”

His words were greeted by a cheer.

Later that evening, at the bar, he looked around at his team with affection.

“Sir?”

The man turned. “Yes?”

“I’m not sure if this is the right time to ask,” said the young executive, “but I heard that you have been promoted more times than anyone else. How did you manage this?”

“Well,” the man said, “I have often asked myself this, and this is what I have come to believe.

• One, I think it’s because I know and believe in my purpose. I know who I am, what I want and where I want to go.
• Two, I am focused – I plan and prepare and persist until I get what I want.
• Three, I have you guys – without you, I can achieve nothing. A manager is only as good as his team and you have always made me proud!”

“I really hope to be like you someday!” said the young man.

The man smiled. “That’s a nice thing to say. But take my advice – be who you are, and not what others are or expect you to be…”

Reaching the moon : 2009

The man looked out of the window. Well, the view from the CEO’s office is not very different from the other offices, he thought to himself.

He turned and walked to his desk. Behind it hung the poster he had had with him for more than two decades. He read it aloud as he had done a thousand times before :

“A flower does not care about what people think of it. It just blooms.”

He sat down in his chair.

That was a long and amazing journey, he mused. So much luck, so many good friends. So many wonderful teachers and mentors. Such superb colleagues and teams. Fantastic opportunities and amazing outcomes…

Well, I have reached my destination. Time to deliver expectations…

He leaned forward and opened his laptop.

Afterword

So, here are the five take-aways from this story – so that you, too, can achieve whatever you want :

1. Believe in yourself
2. Know your purpose. Know who you are, what you want and where you want to go.
3. Be focused – plan and prepare and persist till you get what you want.
4. Find happiness in whatever you do.
5. Be who you are, and not what others are or expect you to be.

Could you let me know, in the comments, which of the five is your favorite? Do you have a take-away that I may have missed? If so, please share it in the comments, someone struggling out there might badly need it.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this installment of CEO Chronicles. If you want to ‘be who you are, and bloom in your career’, send me a message or write to me.

Cheers,

Shesh.

(Singapore / 12 November 2019)

Post Script :

1. For other interesting CEO Chronicles click here.
2. Follow me so that you don’t miss the next issue of CEO Chronicles.

Victim To CEO / Victim To CEO / Victim To CEO / Victim To CEO / Victim To CEO

(This story, “Escaping The Prison Of The Past” follows “Four Monkeys & An Elephant”, a fable about how we often shackle ourselves with past practices and negative self-belief.)

ACT 1, SCENE 1

The monkey in the room

[An office. The CEO stands with his feet apart, hands on hips. The COO sits on the edge of the couch, looking up at the CEO.]

“THIS IS A SHIPYARD! THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SHIPYARD!”

“Yes, I understand, but…”

“FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, WE HAVE BUILT AND DELIVERED SHIPS! GREAT SHIPS! AMAZING SHIPS!”

“I agree. Superb ships. But…”

“I JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND YOU! WHY ARE YOU ARGUING? THIS IS HOW IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN! IT IS HOW IT IS GOING TO BE! END OF DISCUSSION!”

[The CEO stops shouting, turns and walks out. Door slams. Silence descends on the room. The COO shakes her head, gets up and walks to her desk.]

ACT 1, SCENE 2

“We don’t grab the bananas around here!”

[Another office. The CFO sits at his table, scanning a spreadsheet. The COO sits across him, leaning back, her fingers steepled.]

“The last ship we built? Oh, let’s see,” the CFO replies. “Mmm. Hmmm. Ah, about four and a half years ago.”

“And that’s quite a while, don’t you think?”

“Yes, yes. Too long. Once we launch that last vessel, our production pipeline is empty.”

“So, how have you been managing our costs?” asks the COO, gently.

“Managing? Hah!” the CFO practically spits out. “All my trousers have holes in the knees given how much I am begging! Nowadays, my default position is on my knees. In front of the banks, the vendors, the bondholders, the creditors, everyone!”

“It must be frustrating…,” she murmurs. After a moment, she sits up. “Have you considered looking at this business from a different angle?”

The CFO looks up, and at her. “What angle?’ he asks, uncertainly.

“I was thinking – wouldn’t it be better to operate the ships? Given our empty order-book?

“Operate ships?” The CFO’s tone turns to incredulous. “What do you mean, operate? We don’t operate ships!”

“I believe we have operated ships in the past,” the COO says, “and quite well, too.”

“Oh, that’s only when our ships haven’t found buyers yet. That’s just a stopgap. We are not really operators.”

“You’ve been here only 3 years. What do you think stops us?” the COO asks, leaning back.

“Come on! That’s a silly question!” the CFO exclaims. “You know what stops us. We are not an operator – we are a shipyard. We have always been a shipyard. After all, this is our DNA. You have been here only a few weeks. You’ll understand soon enough!”

“I see…” She rises, preparing to leave. “Thank you very much for taking the time to take me through the numbers. See you later…”

[The COO leaves the room. The CFO continues looking at the door, his brow furrowed.]

ACT 1, SCENE 3

Breaking from the past

[A restaurant. The COO is having lunch with three men. The four seem comfortable with each other, joking and laughing.]

“So, you think the market can absorb my ships?” the COO asks. “Which regions? Any specific clients in mind?”

The oldest man speaks up. “West Africa, Qatar, Egypt, India. We are holding enquiries from clients in all these regions. Your ships are perfectly suited.”

“What kind of charter rates are we talking about?”

“Oh, you’ll be pleasantly surprised…”

[The lunch and conversation continue. The COO listens carefully, asking measured questions, nodding, smiling, absorbing.]

ACT 1, SCENE 4

“I am not what happened to me!”

[A Boardroom. All 12 seats are taken. A Powerpoint presentation has just concluded.]

“So, on the one hand, we can continue to operate as a shipyard. In other words, a cash burn of about 3 million dollars a month. The enquiry funnel is empty, but there is a possibility that this may turn,” the Chairman says. “I believe that is correct?”

“On the other hand, we reposition ourselves as a ship operator. If we do this, and we achieve our target utilisation, we break-even in 8 months. But, most of the management team disagree with this approach, on the basis that we are a shipyard and not an operator,” the Chairman pauses. “Any comments?”

“Yes,” says the CEO, leaning forward. “I am sure we can turn the yard around. All we need is another 40 million dollars, and we will make sure…”

“If I am not mistaken, that’s what you said last year,” says one of the Directors, mildly.

“Yes, but that was different!” the CEO exclaims, “the market did not support us!”

“Have market conditions changed substantially?” asks another Director.

“Well…, my marketing team is confident that it will soon. The signs are all there,” the CEO says, with a touch of uncertainty in his voice.

“And, madam,” the Chairman says, turning to the COO, “what is your level of confidence in this new approach?”

“Well, Chairman,” says the COO, sitting up straight. “I have shared the market data with you, along with customer and broker opinions and a list of current enquiries for our ships. Most importantly, I believe that this is the only way to move forward. In the past three years, we have already burnt 72 million dollars with nothing to show for it. We should be escaping the prison of the past. I am sorry that I am in disagreement with my colleagues, but I see no other option.”

“Fair enough,” the Chairman says. “May I request the management team to allow the Directors to confer? Thank you so much.”

[The CEO, CFO, COO and Commercial Head leave the room.]

ACT 1, SCENE 5

We choose our own prisons

[The Boardroom. The Chairman sits at the head of the table. The CEO and COO sit on either side.]

“Well,” says the Chairman, “after detailed discussions, the Board has unanimously agreed to reposition ourselves as a ship operator. I understand that this means…”

[The CEO pushes back his chair, face grim. He walks out of the room. The Chairman and COO look at each other.]

ACT 1, SCENE 6

We are what we choose to believe

[The CEO’s office, eleven months later. The former COO is answering the questions of two journalists.]

“…this is an amazing turnaround,” says one of them. “You narrowly escaped liquidation and closure! And now I understand you are well on your way to profitability!”

“Yes,” she says, smiling, “our vessels are running at 85% utilisation, and our clients are happy. We have started repaying our creditors on an agreed schedule. All in all, the team has done a great job.”

The other journalist leans forward. “I need a quote from you,” she says. “about what drove you to do what you did.”

“Well,” the CEO says, “I have always been guided by Edmund Burke’s advice, ‘Never use the past to plan the future’. It came in very handy this time…”

Epilogue

I reiterate – whether it is organizational culture or self-belief, our prisons are largely of our own making. If you agree, give a shout out “YES!” in the comments.

Happily, escaping these prisons, too, is in our power. As Robin Sharma says, “Stop being a prisoner of your past. Become the architect of your future.”

I hope you have enjoyed reading this instalment of CEO Chronicles. If you want to ‘become the architect of your own future’, send me a message or write to me.

Cheers,

Shesh.

(Singapore / 29 October 2019)

Post Script :

1. For other interesting CEO Chronicles click here.
2. Follow me so that you don’t miss the next issue of CEO Chronicles.

“Four Monkeys” and “An Elephant” are two fables that describe how companies and individuals build and sustain their own prisons…

Four Monkeys

A bunch of ripe, yellow bananas hangs from the roof of a cage. Below this, there are steps leading to the bananas.

Four monkeys sitting in the cage are staring at the bunch of bananas.

Whenever the monkeys try to climb the steps to reach the bananas, a blast of cold water blocks them. In the beginning this does not deter them – they try again and again. However, after a few days, realizing that there is no point in trying to get the “forbidden fruit,” they give up and ignore the bananas.

At this juncture, the humans overseeing this experiment remove the water hose. At the same time, they replace one of the original monkeys with a new one. On seeing the bananas, the new monkey starts up the steps, but the others, being social creatures and not wanting their colleague to be drenched, pull it down before it gets blasted by water. The new monkey is startled, looks around, and tries repeatedly to scale the ladder, only to be pulled back again and again. Finally, the new monkey accepts the group code of conduct and doesn’t bother to go for the bananas.

Over the next few weeks, the overseers remove the second, then the third and finally the fourth of the original monkeys, one at a time, and replace them with new monkeys that have never seen the water blasts. By the end of the experiment, with perfectly ripe bananas hanging above, and four monkeys that have never seen a jet of water, none of the animals tries to climb the steps. They have all learned the unwritten rule: “you don’t grab the bananas around here.”

Four Monkeys and Organisational Culture

Two management gurus, Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad, are credited for creating this management fable.

They created this story, not to represent any actual findings from the field of primatology but to demonstrate a wider truth about organizational life – namely, mind-sets ingrained by past practices remain ingrained far beyond the existence of the practices that formed them.

We have heard so often, when we ask a question about a particular practice that confuses us – “Oh, this is how it has always been done…”

This fable illustrates why any kind of organizational change is difficult. An organisation’s culture is the sum of the underlying beliefs, assumptions, values and ways of interacting in the organization. All these four aspects are influenced by and rooted in past practices. Even when these past practices are no longer relevant or optimal, the remain ingrained, leading to the organization losing its alignment with the market and the external environment.

Learn from the past…

Kodak is a classic example. Not many people know that it was Kodak who invented the digital camera, and well before anyone else. However, senior management refused to see the potential of digital photography. This is what they believed –

“Print photography has been with us for over 100 years. Prints are cheap and fun. So why would anyone want to look at their picture on a television set?”

Even though Kodak finally (after 18 years!) accepted digital photography, it was too late. The once market leader filed for bankruptcy in 2012.

But live in the present…

Leaders, managers and professionals need to take heed. In this world of disruption and discontinuity, we cannot afford to be blinded by past practices and prejudices. We need to recognize the monkey in the room. Regardless of the risk of being blasted by cold water, we need to climb the steps again and again – till we grasp our prize.

We must remember and live by these words – “…never be a prisoner of your past; it was just a lesson, not a life sentence…”

An Elephant

Sadly, this mind-set is true for individuals, too. Just like companies and countries, we humans also allow ourselves to be shackled by our beliefs.

Legend has it that once, Nelson Mandela, on a visit to a neighbouring country, took a morning walk in the nearby plantation.

Not very far away, he saw an elephant tied to a tree. As he passed the elephant, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that this huge creature was being tethered to the tree by only a thin rope tied to his foreleg. There were no chains, no cages.

It seemed obvious to Mr Mandela that the elephant could, at any time, break away from its bonds, but for some reason, it did not.

He noticed a caretaker nearby and walked up to him.

“Good day, my friend”, he said, “I wonder if I may ask you a question. How is it that this elephant is not making any attempt to get away?”

“Well, sir” the caretaker said, “when elephants are young and smaller, we use this rope to tie them to the tree. At that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

The caretaker’s words stunned Mr. Mandela. It shocked him that this powerful animal could at any time break free from its bonds, but did not because it believed it could not.

The elephant was not a prisoner of the men around it. It was a hostage to its own beliefs.

An Elephant in the Mind

How often are we like the elephant in the story?

How often do we have mental ropes around our legs that are holding us back from trying? Often, this arises because someone has told we can’t do something or that we aren’t capable of something. Other times, this arises from having tried once and failed at something. Now we are convinced that we just can’t do it. We willingly stop pulling at the rope and stand resigned next to the tree.

We are what we believe we are…

What we believe about ourselves is the most powerful force in this world. And we can choose what we want to believe. We can decide to break free from any perceived ropes that have been holding us back and go for the things we actually want. Ultimately, we can and must script our own destiny.

Carl Jung said it perfectly. “I am NOT what has happened to me. I am what I CHOOSE to be.”

Afterword

Whether it is organizational culture or self-belief, our prisons are largely of our own making. Thankfully, our freedom, too, is in our own choices. Carve your own path to your dreams. Do not allow illusionary constraints to shackle you!

In 2012, when I began the huge task of reviving a sick company, I personally encountered the tremendous pushback of culture and belief. In Chronicle # 16, I will tell you the story of how an amazing company first went bankrupt and then resisted all cure because of misplaced culture.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this instalment of CEO Chronicles. As always, I look forward to your feedback and suggestions!

If you want to know more, please visit me at www.radicaladvice.net. Radical Advice offers business transformation services and career guidance.

Cheers,

Shesh.

(Singapore / 15 October 2019)

#radicaladvice #ceochronicles #businessadvisory #careeradvice #success #purpose #satisfaction #mentoring #fulfilment

“The Final Steps To Growth And Success” follows the articles, “Six Steps To Promotion” and “How Do I Get a Promotion?“.

In this concluding article, we discuss how you can unleash the power of networking to achieve growth and position yourself as a leader by displaying a sense of ownership.

But before we jump into today’s article, let us recap what we have learnt as part of the first four steps –

• Step 1 : Setting Goals (Know what you want. Then, let others know what you want.)
• Step 2 : Keep Learning (Stay ahead of the curve. Anticipate the next turn.)
• Step 3 : Document Success (Record your achievements. Ensure people see them.)
• Step 4 : Collaborate (Be the ‘go-to’ person in your team.)

In “Six Steps To Promotion”, we met Gerry, and saw how he set clear goals and learnt everything he needed to achieve them.

Then, in “How Do I Get A Promotion?”, we met Maduri, and witnessed how she became indispensable, not just to her team, but to the other teams as well.

Now, what are the final steps to help us grow and succeed?

STEP 5 : #Network More #Engage More

I was an arrogant young professional.

This led me to believe that I did not need others. So, I disdained networks. When friends advised me to build a network, I shrugged it off. “Why do I need to?” I sneered, “I can do this on my own!”

(I was also stupid.)

Over time, I started seeing how, even though I worked really hard and did everything right, my progress was slow and sporadic. Why? Because, in every undertaking, I had to build my credibility from scratch. If you did not know me, how would you trust what I had to say or offer?

As I gradually climbed the rungs of the corporate ladder, I began recognising how important it was to know, understand, like and trust. I gradually recognized that people made deals, not companies. I began appreciating how much I learnt from every interaction, from every meeting, from every acquaintance.

In time, the friends I have made through my career have become the most valuable reward of my professional life. Without their support, help, guidance and encouragement, I would not have achieved a quarter of what I have.

As I was writing this article, I came across Robert Kiyosaki’s very apt words – “The most successful people in the world look for networks; everyone else looks for work.”

Don’t make the same mistake I did.

Networking is a critical step towards your continued growth and success. 

Take advantage of every networking opportunity you have, even if it’s a small get together with co-workers at lunch. Networking with others within your organization and outside will allow you to get to know the people who can provide support now and in the future. It’s also a chance to promote yourself and your skills. You can reap many benefits by simply involving yourself with different groups in your organization, like those who help plan events or keep the office running smoothly.

Networking is not easy, especially for those who have to manage both work and home, which leaves precious little time. However, you can network through the day – over coffee, at lunch, on the phone. Keep a box of cookies or donuts on your desk and you will have people constantly dropping by to have a chat. Share relationship advice, and you will have young hopefuls hanging on your words. Go beyond paying attention or taking notes in meetings – become an active member of your organization, engaging with your colleagues, solving problems decisively, offering a caring shoulder to cry on.

Be connected. Be engaged.

STEP 6 : #Take Charge #Be A Leader

The one thing I always did well was to step forward and take charge.

From when I was young, I learnt to ‘own’ my workplace. Regardless of who the shareholders were, it was MY company. So, whatever I did, I did it as if I owned the company. Everything I did, routine or new, excited and challenged and motivated me, and I tried my best to pass on these feelings to the others around me.

I believed in myself, and committed myself to whatever I did, and gave it everything I had.

So, if there was a new project, I volunteered. If there was a problem to be solved, I stepped up. If there was a new employee to be shown the ropes or mentored, I accepted the responsibility.

The outcome? People (my peers and my supervisors) began to turn to me when they needed something new or difficult to be done. Over time, this led to my being seen as a leader, as a trouble-shooter, as a court of first resort.

Which automatically led to my supervisors considering me for promotions before most others.

I clearly remember the words on the plaque in my first boss’ cabin, – “Most leaders don’t set out to be a leader – they set out to make a difference. It is rarely about the role, and always about the goal.”

Own whatever you do.

When deciding on promotions, managers look for passion, decisiveness and confidence. if you possess these types of leadership skills, you will surely be recognised and remembered. After all, the first step in being a prospective leader is acting like one.

Leaders need to be great role models for the employees they manage and work with, and without these skills, it will be hard to get a management promotion.

Show leadership potential. Stand apart.

Afterword

You now know the six steps that will reliably lead to your promotion and to your growth within your organisation.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this instalment of CEO Chronicles. As always, I look forward to your feedback and suggestions!

If you want to know more, please visit me at www.radicaladvice.net. Radical Advice offers business transformation services and career guidance.

Cheers,

Shesh.

(Singapore / 01 October 2019)

NOTE :

CEO Chronicles is a serial guide to help you navigate your liferaft through corporate rapids. Popular previous articles include :

Horrible Bosses!

Three Questions That Will Change Your Life

Five Biggest Mistakes of My Career

Three Bosses Who Changed My Life

How Do I Get A Promotion?

For the entire series, please see Radical Advice Articles & Blogs.

#radicaladvice #ceochronicles #businessadvisory #careeradvice #careerplanning #purpose #success #mentor #fulfilment #satisfaction

In the previous article, “Six Steps To Promotion”, we discussed how promotion is about how you are seen, as much as about what you do.

Then, we touched upon the differences in perception between Ferraris and Toyotas, and asked the question, “How do we do scale up our brand and be perceived differently?”

Thereafter, we met Gerry and saw how he set clear goals and learnt everything he need to achieve them.

Finally, we discussed and examined the first two approaches of the Six Steps –

• Step 1 : Setting Goals (Know what you want. Then, let others know what you want.)
• Step 2 : Keep Learning (Stay ahead of the curve. Anticipate the next turn.)

Now, may I introduce Maduri?

Maduri joined our company many years ago as a Junior Cost Accountant. She carried with her a few years of experience and a burning ambition. In addition, she was smart and articulate, and a wizard with numbers. While I was not her direct supervisor, she made it a point to meet me once every 2 weeks or so and talk about her work, her career and her progress.

STEP 3 : #Document Success #Display It

Maduri was frustrated that accounting was not an area as easy to shine in as sales or marketing.

“Every time Gerry wins a contract,” she complained one day, “however small it is, everyone practically throws a parade! We work as hard, you know. And no one ever even says thank you.”

“Would it help,” I asked her, “if I told you that life was unfair?” I smiled, only half joking.

“Don’t I know it?” she shot back. “I am a woman, you know!”

“What do I do to get recognised?” Maduri asked, half to herself. “I do excellent work week on week. No one seems to notice what we do.”

“You have your answer right there,” I said. “You do excellent work. But, do you record it? And if so, do you show anyone what you have done, how much you have achieved?”

She looked at me and shook her head.

“Have you heard of the term, ‘recency error’?” I continued.

“Sorry, no,” Maduri said.

“Usually, supervisors tend to remember only recent occurrences,” I explained. “This leads to inaccurate and unfair evaluations of performance. How would you correct this?”

Maduri thought for a moment.

“By maintaining a record of what I do. And sharing this with my boss!” she exclaimed, excited. “If I document my successes, people will have no choice but to recognise me!”

She got up to go. At the door, she turned back. Her eyes shone.

“You know,” she said. “Documentation is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible!”

Build your portfolio

When choosing employees to be promoted, supervisors look at the value we have brought and continue to bring to the business. Sadly, they rarely remember our past achievements – they have too much on their minds to be able to record and remember everything.

Therefore, we need to build our own portfolio (through the year). Every time we complete an important project or performed a difficult task, we must record it. Most importantly, we need to focus on how we have impacted revenue, costs, productivity, innovation, growth.

One useful way to do this to keep a weekly record, and to share this (once a month, once a quarter?) with your boss. Not only does this negate recency, it has the added advantage of steadily building your brand equity as well as your track record.

Record your achievements. Ensure they are seen.

STEP 4 : #Be Collaborative #Be Indispensable

A few weeks later, Maduri was back. However, she did not have that usual intense look that meant she was ready to do battle. She seemed lost in thought.

“Is there a problem, Maduri?” I asked.

“No…” she said hesitantly, “not really a problem. The reverse, actually…”

“I’m just coming from Ramesh’s meeting,” she continued, “He was really complimentary. He said some sweet things.”

“Ramesh?” I asked, quite surprised. “Said sweet things?” Ramesh was a business head known for his gruff behaviour.

“I know,” she smiled, “I am as shocked!”

“What happened?”

“Well, it’s budget season, as you know,” Maduri said, “The team called me into their meeting as they were having some problems with the templates. I was able to sort these out and explain the various formulae, and how to complete the variable and fixed cost sections. Ramesh came in towards the end, and seemed quite impressed with my inputs.”

“Good for you!” I said. “I am so glad that you took time to help.”

Fast or Far?

Maduri paused, her forehead furrowed in thought.

“Well, if Ramesh’s team is having a problem, it is likely that the others are, too,” she said slowly. “I am wondering if I should offer to help them?”

“Of course! Knowing our business teams and budgets, they will welcome you like a desert welcomes rain!” I said.

“I liked the meeting with Ramesh’s team. It made me feel valued and special – as if I had something that they didn’t and I could share,” she said. “I would like to do this for the others, too.”

“That is a great idea,” I said, “Collaboration multiplies capability.”

“Let me go and speak to them right away.” As Maduri got up to go, she looked at me.

“I remember reading and African proverb,” she said, “’If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.’”

Build your USP

We need to be seen as team players who are committed to the greater good of the team, which ultimately benefits the company. More than this, we need to become an indispensable member of our team.

How? We could build expertise in one or two specific areas – for example, we could master the idiosyncrasies of the company’s IT system; or be the best maker of customer presentations; or be able to explain every line of the annual budget template.

Volunteer yourself in these areas. And help reducing your team-mates workloads by speeding up their projects.

‘Go-to’ people are not only sought after by fellow employees, they are seen by management because their names keep popping up frequently and regularly.

Be the ‘go-to’ person in your team.

Afterword

When I left the company three years later, Maduri was awarded two promotions, and was Finance Manager. Today, she is the CFO of a manufacturing group in India. Even today, she calls every so often; except nowadays it is I ask who her for advice on financial matters…

I hope you have enjoyed reading this instalment of CEO Chronicles. As always, I look forward to your feedback and suggestions!

Steps 5 through 6 (of Six Steps To Promotion) will conclude in the next instalment.

If you want to know more, please visit me at www.radicaladvice.net. Radical Advice offers business transformation services and career guidance.

Cheers,

Shesh.

(Singapore / 17 September 2019)

NOTE :

CEO Chronicles is a serial guide to help you navigate your liferaft through corporate rapids. Popular previous articles include :

Horrible Bosses!

Three Questions That Will Change Your Life

Five Biggest Mistakes of My Career

Three Bosses Who Changed My Life

For the entire series, please see Radical Advice Articles & Blogs.

WhatsApp message [6:15 PM] : “Could you please call?”

WhatsApp message [6:18 PM] : “Why haven’t you called? Matter URGENT!”

WhatsApp message [6:20 PM] : “I really need to talk to you! They did not promote me! I worked so hard; I did everything they asked. I’ve stayed late almost every day. I really don’t know what to do…”

I did not need to read more. It was a story I had personally witnessed and experienced.

WhatsApp reply [6:50 PM] : “Hey, Isaac, sorry, was stuck in a meeting. Happy to speak now.”

Some Plain Speaking

Before we discuss the steps that can help us get a promotion, let’s clear up some misconceptions (so that we don’t waste time on futile arguments) –

1. The world is not fair. This applies to the corporate world, too.
2. Being good in your job lets you keep your job. That’s all. (in an increasingly disruptive world, even that is iffy)
3. Punctuality, diligence, timely delivery – these are all great qualities. However, they don’t necessarily lead to promotions.
4. Taking on more work is a good approach, but not if unseen and unnoticed.
5. Staying late can be a double-edged sword – are you working hard or are you just inefficient?
6. Being sincere and being naïve are two entirely different things.

Perception is Reality

Being promoted is as much about how you are seen, as about what you do.

Often, we get overlooked for promotion because while we may be capable of doing more, our managers don’t believe so because they still see us in a particular role. Their perception of us hasn’t evolved at the same pace as we feel we have. To use a simple metaphor, we feel we have become Ferraris; they think we are still Toyotas.

Sadly, perception is often reality. There’s no point blaming them or whining. We need to fix our personal brand and be seen for what we really are. We need to alter perception. While we are doing so, we also need to validate our own beliefs – are we really Ferraris? Or just souped-up Toyotas?

So, how do we scale up our brand and be perceived differently? There are many approaches. We are going to discuss six tried and tested ways –

1. #Set Goals #Communicate Them

Many years ago, we recruited management trainees, and I was allocated two. One of them, Gerry, did not have the best educational credentials, but was smart, eager and driven.

“Sir,” he asked, on his third day at work, “What is the best way to become a business manager?” (That is what I was, at the time).

This was a very refreshing question, especially because this was the first time I had heard it from someone who had yet to complete his induction process.

I took Gerry’s request seriously. We allocated a time and a meeting room, and I took him through the role and responsibilities of the job, and the knowledge and skills required.

Three months later, Gerry asked me for an hour.

“Can you please allocate me a customer?” he asked. “I want to start learning how to deal with customers. I will do this over and above my present duties.”

“Why?” I asked, curiously.

“I want to be a business manager. You told me that I need to manage customers. So, I want to start learning now.”

“Good”, I said, impressed. “And where do you see yourself two years from now?”

“I have a plan”, he said, “I am hoping that you will help me achieve it. Two years from now, I want to be handling a product-market segment. And two years from then, I want to be product manager.”

“Those are really stretch targets”, I warned. “I hope you know that achieving these is not going to be easy.

“I know,” Gerry said, “I read somewhere that the tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching my goals; the tragedy is in not having goals to reach…”

Some points on goals

Here are some questions to think about when it comes to enhancing your brand:

• What’s your goal?
• What role would you like to be in two years from today?
• What are the competencies of your next role that distinguish it from your current job?
• Which of those competencies can you demonstrate now?
• What brand will you need to build now, in order to get there?

Then, sit down with your boss to set and discuss your professional career goals. Be open about where you see yourself a year or two years from now. Knowing these will allow your boss to help you achieve these goals by giving you opportunities to learn and grow.

Further, when you do get a chance to talk to colleagues about what you’re working on, emphasize the next-level competencies that you are deploying.

Also, look for high-visibility projects that allow you to use your next-level competencies, and showcase these skills to your leadership.

Know what you want. Then, let others know what you want.

2. #Keep Learning #Show Commitment

Coming back to the conversation with Gerry,

“Those are really stretch targets”, I warned. “How do you plan on achieving them?”

“Well,” he said, confidently. “One, I am already learning a lot by shadowing you and being part of the sales and operations meetings. Two, I have already enrolled for two courses – one on B2B Sales Management and one on Sales Forecasting.”

“Wow!” I said, “But, I didn’t see or approve a development plan request?”

“I am doing this personally, sir,” he said, “I know I am too new in the company to expect you to spend money on me.”

“Also,” he continued, “Are these the right courses? Could you advise me?”

Gerry’s passion brought to mind Mahatma Gandhi’s words – “Live like you are going to die tomorrow. Learn like you are going to live forever…”

Some lessons on learning

We need to show our boss and colleagues that we are committed to continuously improving and developing our skills by finding learning opportunities, both within the office and outside of it. We also need to prepare ourselves for the next stage of our growth.

Perhaps an online course? A monthly webinar? Possibly a conference or seminar once a quarter? Engaging as an observer or auditor on projects outside your department?

This does two things – one, it shows that you’re serious about your career and willing to invest your own time and money in it; two, it helps build your next-level competencies which you will need as your grow.

Stay ahead of the curve. Anticipate the next turn.

Afterword

So, what happened with Gerry? How did he do?

As expected, Gerry excelled. He was promoted to product manager within three years, and by 32, he was a Vice President in a services organisation, managing a team of more than 300 people.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this instalment of CEO Chronicles. As always, I look forward to your feedback and suggestions!

Steps 3 through 6 (of Six Steps To Promotion) will continue in the next instalment.

If you want to know more, please visit me at www.radicaladvice.net. Radical Advice offers business transformation services and career guidance.

Cheers,

Shesh.

(Singapore / 03 September 2019)

This is the story of three amazing bosses who taught me the most important lessons of my life. The first taught me about the Power of One. Then, the second taught me about the Power of Many. Finally, when I was ready, the third taught me about Power.

The Power of One

I met the first boss when I was 21 years old. I had just completed my engineering and joined a large cargo ship as Junior Engineer. Within a few days I realised (to my great discomfort) that most of what I had learnt in college was of absolutely no use when I had to clean a bilge strainer or flush a seawater cooler. Boy, was I frustrated and angry! While I wanted to excel, I did not know how. I screwed up task after task. The first few days left me wondering if I had chosen the wrong profession.

The Assistant Chief Engineer (my direct supervisor) was a quiet, inscrutable person. He was not someone who seemed very approachable. This was my first job, and I did not want to take my problems to him and have him lose faith in me. I was at my wit’s end.

About two weeks in, he called me to his cabin one evening for a drink. For the first hour, we spoke about our families and our experiences in college. Then, he addressed my problem.

“I see that you are struggling,” he said. “When I first joined ship, I did, too.” Then, he wryly narrated a couple of anecdotes of him spectacularly failing in his first weeks as a Junior Engineer. Hearing these made me feel so much better. At least I wasn’t alone!

Understand, Plan, Own and Do

He continued: “Every job that we do has an approach, a process. We are not taught these practical aspects in college. But we must pick these up quickly on board. Otherwise a backlog builds which can affect all of us.” I agreed, wholeheartedly.

“You are a smart young man,” he said, “you are also dedicated. I have seen you work late into the night. But, you are trying to do without first pausing to think. What you need to do is when you are given a task, is to first understand it. Second, plan it. Third, own it. Only after this, should you do it.”

“But these are simple, menial jobs!” I exclaimed.

“The complexity of the task does not matter; the approach to it does.” he said. “Whatever you do, do it as if it were the most important thing in the world. Whether you unblock a choked pipe or carry out a complex engine overhaul, you must do it first with your head and then with your heart. When you finish, you must be confident that neither you nor anyone else could have done this better.” I nodded, gradually beginning to understand. “Whatever you do, do it like you own it. When you start it, you must feel a sense of excitement. And, when you complete it, you must feel a sense of achievement.”

That advice lives on in my mind till today. Over the course of a few hours, my boss taught me the Power of One. I did not know what this meant at the time, but a few years later, I wrote down what he had taught me:

The Power of One is the power to believe in myself, to commit myself to whatever I do, and to give it everything I have.

Each one of us has this power. It is ours to choose and use.

The Power of Many

I met the second boss when I was 33 years old. I had just joined a coatings company as a Commercial Manager. The company was a quasi-start up. A British company, it was setting up its operations in India from scratch. The first couple of years was crazily hard. We had to build the factory, start production, find customers, make sales, deliver products and provide service – all whilst competing with established local companies. We ran, stumbled, fell, picked ourselves up and ran again. Yet, something was not right. While we had a great senior management team, we were falling well short of our potential. We were losing sales, delaying deliveries, receiving some blistering complaints.

The Managing Director (my direct supervisor) was an outgoing, inspiring leader. He had started his career as an accountant and risen rapidly. Intelligent and astute, he measured the situation and decided a course of action.

One Monday, he announced an off-site for the senior managers over the coming weekend. He good-naturedly listened to our groans and moans, and then told us to be there. The off-site was held in a resort on the outskirts of the city. He started the off-site with a brief speech.

Understand, and seek to be Understood

“We are failing,” he said, “and not because of the market or our products. All of us know this, because we, as a team are not working together well.” We looked around at each other, wanting to protest but knowing that he was right. “Over the next two days,” he continued, “we are going to get to know ourselves and one another. In addition, we are going to start on a journey that will lead to all of us trusting, depending on and working together superbly. And by doing so, we are going to make this company a rousing success.”

Those two days were about the most uncomfortable and eye-opening days of my life. I went through exercises that bared my innermost self and saw others do the same. Together, we learnt why different people approach the same issue in diverse ways. I learnt to ‘first understand, then be understood’. By Monday morning, my boss had laid the foundation for the Power of Many.

I still have the diary where I wrote down what he had taught us:

No matter how talented each of us is, we will always lose if we play one against our competitor’s many.

One may win the battle; Many will always win the war.

Every organisation has access to the Power of Many. It is ours to choose and use.

Power

I met the third boss when I was 44 years old. I had just joined a maritime group as the Chief Operating Officer. It was thrilling becoming a COO, because my longstanding dream had come true. I wanted to move fast and achieve so much. To build an amazing business.

The Chairman of the Group was a thoughtful, hands-on leader. He had the ability to see both the big picture and visualise the smallest detail. Over the years I worked with him, he taught me about the privilege and the place of power.

“Every decision of ours,” he said one day, “affects lives. Those of our shareholders, our employees, their families, our vendors, our partners. We must factor this in every investment we make, every risk we take. Power is not about being in charge; power is about being there for the people in our charge.”

Another time, he spoke about leadership. “The test of a true leader, Shesh, is not about how much power you have,” he said. “It is about how much you empower others.”

In my years of working with him, I learnt:

Power, in its essence, is the Power of One engaging and inspiring the Power of Many.

Every one of us, in one or another situation, will face the test of Power. It is up to us to choose and use wisely.

The Pleasure Was All Mine

I remember saying this in a previous article – I have been truly fortunate in having the bosses I had. Each of them invested in me, inspired me and improved me.

I wish each of you the luck and joy of having a boss who is also a leader and a mentor. One who will help you grow and achieve your potential and take joy in watching you succeed.

Feedback

I hope you have enjoyed reading this instalment of CEO Chronicles. As always, I look forward to your feedback and suggestions!

If you want to know more, please visit me at www.radicaladvice.net. Radical Advice offers business transformation services and career guidance.

Cheers,

Shesh.

(Singapore / 20 August 2019)

PS: As you may have recognised, this article is part of a series. The links to the previous articles are provided below for your convenience. They are also available on www.radicaladvice.net/blog.

1. Opening Gambit
2. Horrible Bosses!
3. Managing The Boss
4. Oh My Boss! (a real life narrative)
5. Three Questions That Can Change Your Life Forever!
6. Mission Possible! 
7. Your Highway To Happiness
8. The Five Biggest Mistakes Of My Career! (a real life narrative)
9. Without Vision, You Are Blind!
10. The Three Prongs Of Your Strategy

We now know that The Three Questions That Can Change Your Life Forever are –

Who am I? Where do I want to go? How do I get there?

In “Mission Possible!”, we explored the first question – Who Am I? We understood the need for and the components of a Purpose.

In “Your Highway to Happiness” and “Without a Vision, You Are Blind”, we answered the second question – Where Do I Want To Go? We discussed the amazing power and clarity that comes from having a Vision.

Now, we move to the next stage of the journey, by plotting and charting…

Your Strategy

As you developed your mission statement, you discovered your Why.

As you drafted your personal vision, you defined your Where.

Your career strategy (or roadmap) answers the question, “How Do I Get There?” and helps you design your What, decide your When, and determine your How.

A career strategy has three parts:

• Tangible and quantifiable goals and milestones
• Realistic timelines
• The resources you need and the actions that you will take

Together, these form…

The Three Prongs Of Your Strategy

Let’s start with What – these are your tangible goals and milestones. They may be –

• Long-term targets (I will be promoted to Senior Manager by June 2023), or
• Medium-term goals (I will be chosen as Star Employee at least once in the next 18 months), or
• Short-term milestones (I will be ranked as High Potential during the Annual Performance Appraisal).

These goals and milestones need to align with your mission and vision. Each of them needs to contribute to your purpose, to your destination.

Your What crystallises your aspirations into measurable and realistic targets.

Once you have designed your What, you have to decide the timelines by When you will achieve your milestones.

So, you, a Marketing Executive today, are going to be Senior Manager by 2022? Great! That will be an amazing achievement!

When will you take the first step from Executive to Manager? June 2021? Yes, that is a practical timeline and gives you enough time to achieve at least two good annual reviews.

By when will you expand your region to two countries? December 2020? Yes, that is a necessary step! Managers are expected to handle at least three countries.

By when will you exceed your targets in the current region you are handling? By June 2020? Fantastic. That will make your GM – Marketing sit up and take notice.

Will you be able to add 15 customers to your business platform by December 2019 so that you can ensure that you exceed your target? Fantastic!

Your When makes your What real. It tests your determination and commitment. It moves you from dreaming to doing.

Finally, your How – this lists the resources you need to achieve your goals (and milestones).

What brought you to where you are today is NOT going to take you to where you want to be. You will constantly need to enhance yourself, your skills, your capabilities. Broadly, we need three main categories of resources to support our career goals

• Experience and track record
• Knowledge
• Networks

You aspire to be a Senior Marketing Manager?

Experience – you will need to show a track record in acquiring and retaining customers. Your company will want to see you grow revenue, year on year. Also, your boss would like to see you keep receivables in check. Finally, you may want to obtain customer testimonials about your commitment and service.

Knowledge – you will need to be seen as an expert on your product range. It is critical to know how to cross-sell and up-sell, and maximise customer value. Also, you must know your customers well and develop customer strategies, both for existing and prospective customers. Furthermore, a strong grasp of regulatory and contractual issues is necessary.

Networks – you will need to develop your presence in the domain. Customers must know you, like you and trust you. Also, your range of relationships must span the customer organisation. Within your company, you must be seen as a troubleshooter, a provider of solutions, a ‘go-to person’. Simultaneously, your competitors should know you and recognise your value and capability. Finally, you should be seen in industry and public forums.

Your How makes your What achievable. It helps you acquire the resources and tools you need. It propels you forward. And finally, it measures your progress.

To give you a live example of a roadmap, let’s look at…

My ongoing journey with CEO Chronicles –

Purpose – To share my accumulated experience and knowledge with aspiring professionals so that they may lead satisfying and meaningful careers and lives.

Vision – I will positively impact at least 5,000 aspiring professionals by December 2020, by writing and publishing at least 35 instalments of CEO Chronicles.

Strategy –

1. Reach 1,000 readers by September 2019; 2,000 readers by December 2019; 3,500 readers by June 2020 and 5,000 readers by December 2020.
2. Publish CEO Chronicles on LinkedIn, Facebook, www.medium.com, www.splash247.com and www.radicaladvice.net. Evaluate and publish on more platforms over time.
3. Publish in at least 5 relevant Groups now; expand to at least 20 Groups by June 2020.
4. Focus on organic growth; avoid promotions and buying followers.
5. Build a ‘resource base’ of 20-25 professionals who will advise me on topics that they see as important and high-impact.
6. Read widely, on-line and off-line, to understand the issues that concern and hinder professionals in the journeys.
7. Constantly seek feedback on the articles and make them more relevant and readable.

I hope this clarifies the concepts of What, When and How?

And thus, we come to…

The End of The Beginning

Let’s quickly review where we began – what do we need to go about constructing a successful and happy corporate career?

We need purpose (our Why). Then, we need direction (our Where). Finally, we need strategy (our What, When and How).

What these will do for you is what they do for all successful people – align your daily actions with your long-term aspirations, encourage you to live a life of purpose, and fill you with a sense of achievement, satisfaction and fulfilment.

I have devised a simple template (a ‘cheat sheet’!) that helps you converge your mission, vision and strategy on one slide. If you would like to have this, please leave a comment on this post, and I will PM the same to you.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this instalment of CEO Chronicles. I look forward to your feedback, commentary and suggestions, and thank you in advance for your time and effort.

Cheers,

Shesh.

(Singapore / 06 August 2019)

“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” – Helen Keller

We now know that The Three Questions That Can Change Your Life Forever are –

• Who am I?
• Where do I want to go?
• How do I get there?

In the sixth article, “Mission Possible!”, we explored the first question – WHO AM I? We discussed how knowing ourselves and discovering our purpose gives us freedom and clarity.

In this article, following on from “Your Highway to Happiness!”, we will continue with the second question – WHERE DO I WANT TO GO? We will learn how to define and to describe our DESTINATION or VISION.

Why is a Vision so important?

About 3 months ago, Rajesh C. confided in me :

“I am 35 years old,” he said. “I have changed 7 jobs in 12 years. When I look at how much some of my classmates have progressed, I feel terribly envious of their success.

“Each time I changed my job, it was for some short-term gains rather than looking at a bigger picture. I remember moving jobs one time because my new designation was ‘Senior Technical Executive’ whilst my current designation as ‘Technical Officer’, and I thought that the change would make me feel a sense of esteem. That move was a horrible mistake and I left the company within a few months.

“I never had any clarity in my mind about what my long-term goals are.

“In my last job, for the first time in my life, I had to work under someone 3 years junior and take instructions from him. This was really difficult to digest in the beginning, but I needed the money and the security of the position. By the time I left, I had lost much on my self-belief and confidence.

“I really wish I had planned my life better and set out on my career with a clear purpose and vision. I feel like I have been moving through life blindfolded…”

How do we define our Vision?

As with the mission statement, drafting our career vision involves thought, introspection, and reflection. We need to start with asking ourselves some guiding questions, such as –

• What are the 5 things that we most enjoy doing? (These are the things without which our days would feel incomplete)
• When our life is ending, what will we regret not doing, seeing, or achieving?
• If we had more than enough money, what work would we do for pure satisfaction?
• What would we most like to be remembered for when we are reminiscing about our life in our old age?
• If we could choose any one person, living or dead, whom would we most want to emulate?
• If we had our work life to live over, would we have chosen a different path that would have led to more success and happiness?

During this exercise, we should constantly picture how we would want our professional life to be, without constraint or obstacle.

Four fears that could blind you

Often, we fall short of enjoying fulfilling careers and lives because we are held back by various negative factors. The four main factors that I have come across are –

First, cultural conditioning. “Oh, I can never be a general manager, I only have a high school diploma!”

Second, inability to visualise. “I have tried visualising my future, but all this does is generate wild dreams. Anyway, what is the point? I have chosen my bed and I have to lie in it!”

Third, fear of failure. “Isn’t it better to think small? What if I dream of being a senior manager, and am never able to succeed? I will feel miserable!

Fourth, need for perfection. “I can write a vision, but how do I know this is the right one for me? If it is not perfect, it may lead me down the wrong path!

These factors seem real. They lurk in all our minds. They hinder and obstruct. But, once we have identified and recognised these traps, and developed our long-term life and career vision, these fears will never trouble us again.

Using your Vision successfully

Once we have answered and reflected on the questions above, thought about how we want our life to be, decided on our destination, we are ready to create a “working vision.”

Ideally, we should write in the first person. Clear statements about the future we hope to achieve. We should fully articulate the vision that we want for our life and our future. The more detailed we can make our image, the better we can see it and feel it in our mind’s eye.

A personal vision can take any form you want – text or pictures or video or a combination of all these.

If you can spare 7 minutes, watch this excellent video by Adriana Girdler on personal vision statements, how to draft them and how they can guide you to success. https://youtu.be/0iga0QRny4s

Can we see some Vision statements? To get the picture?

Do you recall the mission statements from “Mission Possible”? Let’s look at their vision statements :

Joell, the teacher: “I will teach at least 1,000 students in my career. I will mentor at least 100 students. I will positively impact and change the lives of at least 10. Also, I will inspire every student who has studied with me to like and enjoy maths and use it gainfully in her/his life and career.”

David, the CEO: “I will lead a transnational billion-dollar market cap public listed company. We will develop at least 3 products or services which will have meaningful impact on the productivity of our clients. I will ensure that every employee of this company feels that she is working in the best company in the world. And finally, I will be seen as an industry leader.”

Tanya, the home-maker: “I will make my home safe, comfortable and happy. My family will always know that I am there for them. I will be seen as reliable, dependable and trustworthy. My spouse will know that he always has a friend and confidante. My children will grow into happy, good and successful people. Our family will be liked and will contribute to our community and to our country in every possible way.”

Describing and defining your vision guarantees you clarity, control and coherence.

Once you have a draft of your personal vision statement, review it a few times – alone, with your partner, with your parents, with your mentor. You may, in the process, find a better or more resonant way to write a line. You may, on receiving feedback, change a few words. Don’t try and make it ‘perfect’; make it truly yours. Own it, embrace it, it is your guiding light.

Then, as Ms. Girdler says, surround yourself with your vision. Make it visible to yourself, to your family and to your friends and colleagues. Let it remind you and inspire you every day wherever you are.

Any feedback?

In the next article, we will learn how to design our strategy or roadmap; the steps that will help you achieve your vision and purpose.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this instalment of CEO Chronicles. Your feedback, commentary and suggestions are not just welcome, they are requested and will be deeply appreciated.

If you want a private discussion, please write to vshesh@radicaladvice.net.

Cheers,

Shesh.

(Singapore / 23 July 2019)

“What are the five biggest mistakes you made in your career, and how did you fix them?”

This is the story of a professional life that could have been better lived. Of mistakes that I could have avoided.

People often ask me about my career successes. What is your secret? How did you achieve this? Who helped you? Which specific steps led you to becoming a CEO?

Few people ask about my failures. (I think this is because people are basically nice and don’t want to make you feel bad, if they can avoid it) Recently, however, one of my nieces asked me this question :

“What are the five biggest mistakes you made in your career, and how did you fix them?”

This sent me on a journey into the past. It wasn’t a pleasant journey. Soon, I identified several mistakes that I had made, regretted, and (thankfully!) eventually forgotten. But I had promised my niece an answer, so I persevered, ranking the failures and shortfalls and embarrassments, and choosing my five biggest mistakes to share with her and you.

Mistake One – I did not have a plan

I did not know anything about needing a purpose or a vision. I was confident that, armed with my degree and my ‘intelligence’ and my ability and my willingness to work hard, I would succeed beyond my wildest dreams.

Sadly not.

Because I did not have a clear vision, I took many short-term decisions based on silly reasons.

“Advertising sounds so glamorous!”

“Working in a financial institution means that I will become rich quickly!”

I made a series of career choice mistakes, each one setting me back and holding me back.

Only when I was nearly 34 years old did someone (my boss at that time – I will introduce you to him soon!) explain to me the criticality of planning and working the plan. Once this happened, and I established my purpose and where I wanted to go, my career took off like a shot, but in the interim, I had meandered and squandered almost 12 years of my life in sub-optimal choices.

Mistake Two – I was arrogant

It is so easy to be arrogant when one is young. I thought I knew everything. That I was invulnerable. I thought every achievement was due to my efforts alone. Because of this, I did not seek mentors or guides. I did not (for quite a bit of time in my late twenties) invest in improving myself (after all, I was perfect!). Neither did I put effort into learning from the people around me. I rejected good advice too many times. I made hasty decisions without consulting others, all of which turned out to be wrong.

This left me isolated, stagnant and weakened. Much of the potential that I had was being frittered away.

How did I fix this? I was very fortunate in my bosses, especially two, both of whom overlooked my arrogance and invested time and effort in me. They never gave up on me. I got married, and most of us know that there is no better path to humility than seeing oneself through the eyes of one’s spouse. I became a father and learnt how to pray. But the long-term fix was that I steadily got older, and with every new experience and every new connect, understood how little I knew and how much I needed to learn. By the time I was in my mid thirties, I had realised my folly and had started to change.

Mistake Three – I focussed on outcomes, not inputs

I was a typical man.

Everything was about results and outcomes. I loved grabbing the fruit without appreciating the many years of experience and countless hours of back-breaking work it took to plan, nurture and grow the tree. As a result, I ignored efforts and dedication, in others and myself. I kept repeating Jerry McGuire’s mantra, “Show me the money!”

For many years, I allowed the tail to wag the dog. This caused me untold grief. My emotions would swing wildly, soaring when I won, cratering when I lost. I held others to unreasonable standards. Even worse, I refused to respect the tremendous amount of work people put in, if it did not yield a ‘win’. I was constantly stressed out, pushing myself harder and harder, with no end in sight.

Mentoring by my bosses fixed this for me partially. Also, as my responsibilities and scope of control grew, I began to appreciate what philosophers had been saying for centuries – one can control one’s actions, but have little sway over the outcomes. I also realised, from my understanding of purpose and planning, that if a task is properly planned, resourced and executed, the outcome is predictable. And so, gradually my mindset changed to enjoying the journey rather than just anticipating the destination.

Mistake Four – I did not build networks early

Remember my ‘arrogance’?

It led me to believe that I did not need others. So, I disdained networks. When I was advised to build a network, I shrugged it off. “Why do I need to?” I sneered, “I can do this on my own!”

Adding to this was the fact that I was a closet introvert. My natural inclination was to curl up with a book rather then attend an industry get-together. Books are great, but they don’t connect you to people.

Over time, I started seeing how, even though I worked really hard and did everything right, my progress was slow and sporadic. Why? Because, in every undertaking, I had to build my credibility from scratch. If you did not know me, how would you trust what I had to say or offer?

This shortfall, too, was fixed by time and experience. As I gradually climbed the rungs of the corporate ladder, I began recognising how important it was to know, understand, like and trust. I realised that deals were struck between people, not companies. I began appreciating how much I learnt from every interaction, from every meeting, from every acquaintance.

In time, the friends I have made through my career have become the most valuable reward of my professional life. Without their support, help, guidance and encouragement, I would not have achieved a quarter of what I have.

Mistake Five – I focussed on task, not people

I was totally task-oriented. Once I knew the WHY, I would focus on the WHAT. Sadly, I spent very little time on the HOW and the WHO.

As a young man seeking to make his mark, I was in a hurry to get things done. To achieve. To shine. In my immaturity, this meant, “at all costs.” And usually, the costs were borne by the people who worked with and for me.

I would push my team (and myself) to surpass expectations every time. It was normal to hold them and myself to unreasonably high standards. I criticised more than I praised, ran ahead instead of running alongside.

I have been very lucky that most of the people who I worked with have overlooked my faults and are my close friends today. However, the fact remains that I must have caused them enormous stress and discomfort. This is something that I still remember and regret every day.

So there they are. My five biggest mistakes. Which I hope you never make.

Any feedback?

I hope you have enjoyed reading this instalment of CEO Chronicles. As always, I look forward to your feedback and suggestions!

If you want to know more, please visit me at www.radicaladvice.net. Radical Advice offers business transformation services and career guidance.

Cheers,

Shesh.

(Singapore / 09 July 2019)

PS: As you may have recognised, this article is part of a series. The links to the previous articles are provided below for your convenience.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ceo-chronicles-1-opening-gambit-venkatraman-sheshashayee/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ceo-chronicles-2-horrible-bosses-venkatraman-sheshashayee/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ceo-chronicles-3-managing-boss-venkatraman-sheshashayee/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ceo-chronicles-4-oh-my-boss-venkatraman-sheshashayee/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ceo-chronicles-5-three-questions-can-change-your-life-sheshashayee/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ceo-chronicles-6-mission-possible-venkatraman-sheshashayee/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/your-highway-happiness-venkatraman-sheshashayee/