by Solange Lopes | Mar 3, 2016 | Career |
The meeting room grew silent. Everyone was waiting for Sasha to answer the Director’s question. Seconds stretched into minutes, as all eyes were glued on her, waiting for the answer…
That’s when she uttered the unthinkable: “I don’t know”. Is this how you respond to the Head Director of the Audit department? “I don’t know”? But that’s not the end of the story…
Then she followed up with the 12 words that would make all the difference: ” But I will find out and get back to you on this!” Which she did, exactly a day later, as she sent an email to the entire department with the detailed, thorough answer to said question. Not only did she gain major accolades as a result, but this was actually a turning point in Sasha’s career.
Since then, Sasha’s become quite the pro at saying “I don’t know” at work, while still maintaining the knowledgeable and competent professional reputation she’s always had…As a matter of fact, her ability to admit she doesn’t have all the answers, but that she’s willing to educate herself and others on the topic at hand, has turned her into one of the most sought-after experts in her field…
Have you ever been in Sasha’s shoes? Have you ever been in a situation where you were put on the spot at work and had no idea what to respond? Would you have as easily uttered these words in a crowded conference room, with all eyes pointed on you, expecting you to come up with the right answer? Or would you just have fumbled random words, put something together as fast as you could, trying to look confident even at the risk of it being totally inaccurate?
There are many times at work when we just don’t know the answer. And neither are we supposed to know everything…That would defeat the very purpose of learning and improving in the workplace.
And most times, it’s not because we haven’t looked into it, or aren’t interested in the subject matter, or even worse, aren’t smart, inquisitive or even professional enough. But simply because we don’t know what we don’t know…
It’s in those times that we must remember: the true sign of leadership and professionalism is to remain honest, admit we don’t have all the answers, yet commit to finding out for our own good and the good of all.
When in doubt, it’s OK to say “I don’t know” at work:
- Honestly admit you are currently unable to provide a comprehensive answer (or any answer for that matter).True leaders are not afraid to face their own limitations. The secret here is to be as refreshingly honest as possible. Don’t try to make up an answer or look more informed than you actually are. Remember, this is not a one-time shot, but one more step in establishing your professional reputation and reliability.
- Commit to finding out the answer within a given deadline. While it’s ok to admit you don’t have the answer, what’s even more important is to Immediately make the open commitment to researching the answer. This not only goes to show that you are curious and inquisitive, but also that you can step up to the plate and volunteer to address impromptu requests.
- Follow up and get back to everyone (yes, everyone) who was in attendance with the answer and supporting documentation to back it up. Now this is where you demonstrate excellence. Keep up with your prior commitment and do get back to everyone. Does this add to your already packed to-do list? Sure it does. But it also goes a long way to showing your dedication and initiative, and make you stand out in the midst of the “know-it-almost-all” crowd.
Are you comfortable saying “I don’t know” at work? What has been your experience so far?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Feb 14, 2016 | Career
This is our weekly career and lifestyle news update, where we round up exciting news of the last week and we let you have it…ahem, news-wise that is…
Think of it as your career gossiping section on steroids…
And while you’re at it, follow us on Facebook, Twitter,IG, and Pinterest!
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Hope you’re enjoying a serious dose of love today, and that you’re doing at least one thing for yourself…
- Right on time for V-Day, Business Insider tells us how being single influences your career
- And who you’re going to marry based on your job too
- For those tech-challenged like myself, The Daily Muse tips you off on 13 cheap (or free) online classes you can take to boost your digital skills
- US News lists 3 ways saying no at work can boost your career
- Lev0 tells you why it’s so important to have a work frenemy
- Deal Alert! Corporette tells us all about the Nordstrom Winter Sale
- The Undercover Recruiter tips us off on the do’s and don’t of having an office romance
- Worried about perfecting your elevator pitch? Careerealism gives you 5 tips to follow.
What other news would you like to add to this roundup?
Love,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Feb 12, 2016 | Working Mom & Woman Tips |
I remember returning to work after maternity leave for my first and second baby, being lost and trying to find my marks for weeks. Dealing with the emotional and physical pressure at home, and the mental upheaval at work. After missing so many months at work, there was so much catching up to do. Even as my mind was still reconciling the change in circumstances, when my heart was longing for my fuzzy-haired babies, and my body was juggling the two as I struggled to pump enough milk while reading the quarterly report at work.
This is the dilemma for many moms returning to work after baby. How to adjust to this life change, while still showing ourselves as competent, competitive and ready to shatter that glass ceiling all the while pumping adequate amounts of milk? And how to even expect our male-dominated workplaces to understand what it means to go through the experience of making another human being and emerging as a totally different human being?
While we may expect companies and management to help us through this transition, truth is, we have to do the bulk of the understanding, and the working, and the making peace with all the milk and diapers and quarterly reports mess. And if you’ve been in the same situation, you know all too well what it feels like..
And sometimes, many times actually, we learn more from what not to do, than from what to do. And after breaking my own records of what not to do, in and outside of work, here are a few of my not-to’s for us ladies returning to work after maternity leave:
- Don’t try and be SuperWoman! More than any other time, work after baby feels like having to be Superwoman, except instead of the cape, we have to make do with milk-stained blouses and haunting dark circles (hello waterproof concealer). After baby#1, I though I could come back to the professional life and do it all. Pump while taking the conference call. Get the house in tip-top shape, baby fed, bed made, all before heading out the door in the morning. The reality was, my expectations, more than anything else, drove me bonkers. In addition to having to comb my hair and apply my make-up in the office bathroom, I had to deal with the disappointing frustration of feeling that I was not enough. And of course, my work, and entire life, suffered. Take it one day at a time. Stepping out of the house fully clothed and with matching shoes is already a big accomplishment, acknowledge that you’re doing the best you can.
- Don’t stay in your corner! After returning to work from maternity leave both times, I literally hibernated in my cube for a while. At the time, I thought this would be the best way to catch up and to find my marks. What ended up happening though, is that I failed to re-integrate the work environment as well as I could have. As a new mom back at work after baby, it’s easy (and somewhat normal at first) to stay in your corner and take some time to readjust. Yet, you want this transition period to be as short and swift as possible. Even if you’re still overwhelmed and uncomfortable the first few weeks, come out of your cube. Go meet and talk to people. Ask about changes that have happened in your absence. Do your own, subtle yet effective “after baby networking”. Better than catching up on email, it’s the fastest and most effective way to get yourself back in the groove of all work things. And it’s also the best way to show that you are indeed, back!
- Ask for what you need! Many new moms fail to ask for what they need. What they really, desperately need. Instead, we try to do it all, and end up frustrated, unhappy, and paralyzed into inaction. After baby#2, our family schedule had changed, and I needed to be able to come in earlier so I could leave earlier to pick up both babies. Instead of asking for what a slight schedule adjustment, I would instead drive myself insane trying to leave a few minutes late and curse my way to the daycare. Not the most effective way to keep sane! Do you need to leave at 4:30pm to feed the baby? Ask for a more flexible work arrangement. Do you need to take an hour at lunch to pump? Check with your manager and block that time on your calendar. The better you are at asking for what you need in order to perform your job well, the better you’ll be able to fulfill your professional duties. And yes, there may be instances where the answer will be no! Yet you owe it to yourself to ask.
- Don’t think of your circumstances as obstacles. I was speaking to a close friend earlier about her career progress. And what she said made me realize the sad truth for many moms returning to work after maternity leave. “I don’t think I’ll get the promotion. I’ve just had my second baby, and I’m sure I won’t even be considered for the job. They’ll probably think I won’t be committed enough, with all my family responsibilities and all…” So she didn’t go for the job…at first. Until her own husband pushed her to apply and go for it. And she did get it…This is a happy ending that may not happen in many other instances. Yet, way too often, we take ourselves out of the race mentally first. Thinking that we won’t be able to do the job. Or that “they” won’t consider us for it (who’s “they” anyways?). If you don’t think of your circumstances as obstacles, even if these look the part, chances are others won’t.
In summary, here are the no-no’s to absolutely avoid when coming back to work after baby, milk-stained shirts and sleepless nights galore:
- Avoid the Superwoman trap at all costs! You can’t do it all, and you can’t please everyone. You’re not a plate of cheese!
- Get out of that office, cube, or wherever else you may be hiding out after baby! Network your way back into the fold, show your face, and get back on track!
- Put your needs out there! No more trying to beat traffic, or concoct excuses! If you need it, ask for it!
- What’s happening to you is normal, it’s not an obstacle! Stop thinking of and presenting your circumstances as obstacles to your career advancement and progress! The more you learn to thrive in your circumstances, the more success you will attract your way!
What else would you suggest as a no-no for women returning to work after abby? Care to share your own story? Please chime in in the comments…
Love and Success,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Feb 5, 2016 | Career |
This is our weekly career news update, where we round up exciting career news of the last week and we let you have it…ahem, news-wise that is…Think of it as your career gossiping section on steroids…
And while we’re gossiping, you can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter,IG, and Pinterest!
- Vox takes us back to the history behind Black History Month
- There are some pretty new equal pay rules you may not have heard of, here they are!
- The Daily Muse lists 9 everyday habits you should adopt to be well-liked in the office
- Levo League writes about how these two entrepreneurs solved a super common problem by helping women “swipe for friendship”
- Business Insider lists the 10 highest-paying cities in the US
- The Undercover Recruiter asks what the biggest social media mistakes are among job seekers
- The Evil HR Lady lists the top 100 companies to watch for telecommuting jobs
- After last week’s news about Barbie coming in real sizes now (read looking like a human being), now fans are petitioning Mattel for a Selena-look-alike Barbie…To be continued…
- It’s that time of the year again…V-Day is rearing its red and white head around (again), and WhoWhatWear is hooking up with 13 dresses for any type of date
- Last but not least, The Corporate Sister shares a few tips on how to go from green to great, and leverage your performance review
Any news or interesting article you’d like to add to the roundup?
Love,
The Corporate Sis.
by Solange Lopes | Feb 2, 2016 | Career |
Like most first-graders, baby daughter gets a color rating attesting to her performance in school at the end of every day. Green is for good, yellow is for the initial “you’re-about-to-step-into-danger-zone” initial warning, and red…well, is the “no-toy-no-tv-no-sweets-eat-your-veggies” glaring behavioral emergency light.
After a couple of red episodes, mostly due to experimenting with natural stubbornness and limits, baby girl went back to bringing green little dots on her daily performance sheet. Until the day she approached me with a slight grin on her face, little eyes lighting up with curiosity: “So mommy, what’s after green?”
At which point I took a second (or two) to quietly beam with pride at this human being, who happened to come out of me (oh and her dad, but my side of the family did really well in school)…
After the pride, came the pertinent questioning. She was right…
If most of us, in first grade and through our careers, can get “green” ratings for performance, what’s beyond that? How do we turn an average “green” into an explosion of pink and purple confetti of above average performance? And how do we make it more frequent than the occasional pat on the shoulder after a month of missing family dinners to finish this or that project?
Unless they’re being dealt a performance blow, most people get decent, “meet expectations” performance reviews most years. Which translates into a few accolades here and there, some suggestions for improvement, and a general feel-good sense overall…And the occasional shoe-shopping treat to boot…
Yet, how often do we go beyond this, and ask ourselves: “What’s beyond this decent, good performance review? How do I leverage this good stuff into great stuff? Basically, how do I beat the green?”
Most people will tell you that it comes with time. Others will argue that in this day and age, you should be happy to have a job where you get decent reviews. And others will even push the envelope and tell you not to try to get too great as it might backfire on you…Something about work politics and who you know…
Yet, what if there were a strategy, a system to get you to push through the last barriers of average performance into stellar, one-of-a-kind performance? What if you could leverage your decent, “green” performance review every time to provide you with a Star Wars dimension career boost?
From my own experience down in the career trenches, and studying “real”, everyday successful people managing their own performance reviews into career greatness, here are a few lessons on leveraging a good performance review and turn it into career gold:
- Ask the right questions: Use the time allotted to you during your performance review to ask all the right questions you normally may not have an opportunity to. Strategic questions such as: “ What am I doing well?”, “What should I stop doing?”, “What do you think I should focus on learning/mastering?”, should always be on your list of questions to raise. Not to mention the question that can take you further: “What do I have to do to get to the next level?”
- Show initiative: One of my managers once told me” If the employee doesn’t ask about getting to the next level of their career, we have a problem.” Use your “good” performance review meeting to show great initiative as related to your career’s future. Where do you want to get to? Don’t wait for your boss to tell you what to do. Instead, ask what is required of you to beat the “green” and get to that next stage of your career. And don’t apologize it for it either…
- Build a personal connection: Your performance review is an opportunity to connect with your manager. Don’t let a good performance review satisfy you enough not to try and build an even deeper, more personal bond with your boss. Remember that a large chunk of your career success rests on healthy, positive relationships! Speak to your boss in a personal manner. Relax and leave the corporate stiffness aside. Instead, thank her/him for their impact on your career, as well as their support and leadership. Ask them what they did in their own career to get to the level they’re at. Be personable. Act like you’re talking to another human.
- Humble yourself: A good performance review is not a bragging stage. While you should definitely bring up the positive contributions you made to your team and department, don’t forget to bring out the “humility factor”. One key thing to do is to attribute some of your success to your manager and team. Be sure not only to thank her/him, but also to point out ways in which her/his leadership has helped you in achieving certain objectives. Flattery? Yes, a bit. Hypocritical? Not if you mean it…If you don’t, then you can always stop at “thank you”…
- Show unbreakable determination: I’ve mentioned earlier the need to ask what is required of you to get to the next level. Take it even a step further, by showing unbreakable determination to succeed. Show that you are willing to do what’s necessary to reach the next level of your career. Even better, say it! Something to the effect of “I’m committed to do whatever’s necessary to advance in my career”, will take you far.
- Bring the team factor: We don’t work alone, especially nowadays when the team is Queen in the workplace. Don’t leave a good performance review discussion go to waste by not attributing some of your success to your team, and giving it its due props. It goes a long way to show you’re a team player, and a strategic thinker.
- Follow up: Never leave a performance review meeting without mentioning the “follow up” factor. Make sure to ask your manager if it’s ok for you to check in with her every once in a while (maybe once a quarter?), to track your performance and ensure you’re on the right path. Not only does it show your spirit of initiative, but it’s guaranteed to get you some serious brownie points…
Do you have any additional tips to suggest to turn a “green” performance review into a stellar career boost?
Love,
The Corporate Sis.
