“It takes a village to grow your career.”
This quote, extracted from my e-book “The Corporate Sister’s Guide to Taking Back Control of Your Career“, embodies one of the realizations I made later rather than sooner in my life and career. If you’ve ever wondered why you may not be further ahead in your career, business, or even in life altogether, take a good, long, hard look around you. More specifically at your friends…
Who do you surround yourself with? Who do you spend the majority of your free time with? And who do you (or do you not) share your dreams and aspirations with? Because, believe it or not, and as much as you’d like to separate your work from your friendships and personal life, it’s just a fact that your friends end up shaping your happiness, creativity and…career!
After all, we’re social beings, right? The people we know, and and hang around us, affect us, whether we like it or not. According to this 2014 study, friends can greatly influence each other’s choices. And that applies to our careers as well…
When it comes to the types of friends that will help your further your career, I tend to agree with Michelle Obama when she says this:
“We should always have three friends in our lives: one who walks ahead, who we look up to and follow; one who walks beside us, who is with us every step of our journey; and then, one who we reach back for and bring along after we’ve cleared the way”.
In my career, and through my experience with other corporate sisters, this is what it has meant over the years, in terms of the friends who can help you further your career:
The Girlfriend Who Inspires and Motivates You
That’s the friend you can call when your career seems to be heading straight to hell, with no layover or pit stop. I’m not talking about a crutch or a permanent shoulder to cry on, but rather a confidante who can help you get that pep back in your step.
It’s also the friend who herself is motivated, inspired and understands what it is to strive for more in your career and life. She’ll listen to your dreams and craziest ambitions without belittling them or making you feel like you’re being unrealistic. She’ll make you see possibility where you only have a vague inkling for something. And in her own life and career, she’ll model that hunger and ambition for herself and for other women.
The Girlfriend Who Shares Your Journey
You know that woman who’s been there by your side since you were sporting neon-colored skirts and had your straight bangs on? Yes, that one…The one who’s seen you through your ups and downs, having the jitters before marriage, struggling with pregnancy, and putting the kids’ diapers on the wrong way…
That’s the girlfriend who’s walking besides you and shares your journey as you both go through life and career. Granted, you may not always have kept in touch with that girl from high school or college, but you can certainly build new memories with new friends.
This woman will ground you and remind you of the little things to be grateful for, and the big things to look forward to. In the middle of the madness, she’ll be like your anchor, sharing the good times, struggles and a good glass of wine too…
The Girlfriend Who Looks Up to You
Now, this is not be in any ay condescending…But just as you need friends to inspire and mentor you, you also need to be able to give back…This is the woman you can help through the same struggles you’ve faced, the one you can give some advice to on getting that promotion, or adjusting to corporate politics…
It’s the woman you can guide through the doors you cross (and open), and the one who reminds you you’re not just doing all this work just for yourself. That others behind you are also benefiting from your dedication and success…
Do you have these three women friends in your life? Is it time to re-evaluate who surrounds you?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
