The People who have not supported my Career
A few months ago, I wrote a post celebrating the people that have supported my career so far. It was an excellent opportunity to appreciate a few people who have impacted my professional life positively. While I wrote the post, I remembered a few people who unfortunately had a negative impact on me as I navigated my career. As someone who likes to focus on the good that happens in my life, I thought a lot about writing this post. I decided to write it to encourage people who might be currently working with people like that and need some encouragement.
In this blog post, I will share the five groups of people that could have been more helpful and the lessons I learned about my career. Check out the other "Her Career" posts for tips and resources to help you thrive professionally.
#1: People that underestimated my professional abilities and skills
It really stings when you work with people you have to prove yourself to; still, they do not believe in your expertise. At pivotal times in my career, I have had to work with people who thought about my skills, experiences, and strengths. As a result, I questioned my abilities,
doubted myself, and was convinced that I always needed to work three times harder than everyone around me. It took a lot of work on my part to regain my confidence again.
What lessons did I learn?
Always take the opportunity to share your strengths and abilities with people that matter
#2: People who provided feedback that was not clear or helpful
Receiving feedback is crucial for our career development and growth. However, folks who want to give you feedback and share what you could be doing better without having the right intent are not helpful. In my career, I have worked with people who did not have my best interest at heart when they shared their feedback. Sometimes people went far and even weaponized feedback as a way to break my confidence.
What lesson did I learn?
Filter the feedback that you receive and select relevant feedback
#3: People who did not assign me to projects that had growth opportunities
When I think about my team, I cannot imagine standing in the way of their career growth. I have had people in my career who have decided not to assign work to me that would help me grow. In my work today, we discuss the importance of equitable work allocation. It was very sad to see the same people get access to projects and have to fight for great projects to work on.
What lesson did I learn?
Seek out stretch opportunities and take advantage of the available work
#4: People who created hostile work environments
We spend a lot of time at work and deserve to work in environments we enjoy. Unfortunately, we all have experiences when our work environment has not been conducive. I still remember some parts of my journey where I felt sick thinking about work because of the hostile environment that was there. As someone who likes harmony, I noticed that my experience at work affects my whole being. I now choose to work on teams where I belong.
What lesson did I learn?
Fostering an inclusive and harmonious workplace is key
#5: Managers and Leaders who did not invest in my growth
After having great managers in the last few years, I've been thinking about the bad managers that I have had. Some never checked in on me, inquired about my professional goals, or supported my aspirations. Managers' responsibility for the progression of the people on their team should be a priority for them. As a manager, I am very intentional about not repeating the bad traits I saw in bad managers.
What lesson did I learn?
Own your career growth and take action toward your goals
Time for Reflections
Who are the people who could have been more helpful on your Career Journey?
What lessons did you learn from the negative experiences?
How are you supporting people in their careers?