Opportunities come in different ways- be it
through graduate development programs coordinated by various institutions or by
being given a permanent position immediately after completing your studies. For
some graduates, it’s the thrill of embarking on entrepreneurial opportunities
or being your own bosses that gives you that kick start to leave a legacy,
while for others such as ourselves- it’s about climbing the corporate ladder.
Unfortunately not all of us are as lucky as to be our own bosses. However, we
are all masters of our own destinies and that is a huge task.
I am fortunate enough to be working for an
reputable organisation as a Graduate Trainee and while the last few months have
been both tough and fun- it is hard to ignore the lessons that came with it.
Being a graduate trainee means that your sole purpose within the organisation
you work for is to learn, learn some more and to do more learning. But it’s not
just about the learning- you soon become part of the culture and also a change
agent to making the organisation better. Yes, this means that you need to
contribute ideas- innovative ideas that will move the organisation forward.
With just nine (9) months working, I’ve
worked in 5 departments –each with about 4 subdivisions. Now for someone who is
analytical, it is not hard to miss that a lot of learning and remembering was
done in these months. I’ve had to make notes for each department, making sure I
do not miss anything. I’ve also had to
separate the different departments’ roles and responsibilities, yet realising
their compatibility. Not only has it been fun to work in so many departments,
learning new things- but also about meeting new and interesting people.
As fun as this process has been, I cannot
but help ask myself if “I am a jack of all trades- but master of none” and the
more I hear it around my surroundings- the louder it replays in my mind. While
it’s easy to let something so small get me down or allow the purpose of this
programme be tainted with negativity, I took a moment to reflect on the what,
why, where and when.
Becoming a master of your career is a
choice that we all make, and that choice starts with defining WHAT we hope to achieve- and there are a
lot of things we all hope to achieve. Clearly setting out what you hope to
achieve helps you to set parameters of how you want your life to roll out. This helps you to set goals that give meaning
to your career- “I want to be a manager” for example. And here is my choice- I choose to become a
“Jack of all trades and a master of all”- in business, at home and in
society. I believe it takes a real man
to accept the things he cannot change and focus on the things he can.
Once you’ve made a choice as to what you
want to achieve- it is important to ask yourself why? Why do you want to become a Master? Becoming
a master of your career requires you to understand the role you play within
your organisation. It is about understanding why it is important to deliver
great work all the time and on time. Understanding “why” you need to do things,
prepares you to take responsibility for your actions, career and your future.
When you understand ‘what’ and ‘why’, it
paves the next step in the journey of becoming a master of your career. It is important to have goals of where you
hope to be. Having a clear picture of
where you see yourself drives you to give your best. This is the kind of
motivation that gets you out of bed in the morning and gives you the drive to
give your best- every day. Harvey Mackay
quotes “a dream is just a dream; a goal is a dream with a plan and deadline”.
This quotation leads to the next step in the process- when?
In order for goals to materialise, it is
imperative to set time frames detailing what needs to be done when and how.
Time frames are complimented by action plans, which stipulate how you plan to
get there.
I thought about my question again, “Am I a
jack of all trades and master of none- or am I better than this?”, and it was
at that point I made a break through. I had a choice- to either place the
limitation on myself or to refuse to limit myself. I had a choice to entertain
people’s negativity or to see the silver lining this situation had to provide.
What I realised was this; the more you learn, the more you know and that makes
you a master. Becoming a master is not about knowing everything, but embracing
the opportunity to learn something new every day. The more you see, the more you understand.
Becoming a master is not about being the best at everything- but understanding
what you can do best.
I have seen how things are done in the
different departments and I have learnt a lot. The real question is not whether
“I am a master or not” but rather what I do with what I know. Do I share what I learnt with those who don’t
know? Do I share this knowledge with my
colleagues and integrate it to what they already know in an effort to create
the bigger picture? There are many questions to be asked, but the point I am
trying to make is this. It is not about being a master of all, but instead
about becoming that guy that uses this knowledge to create a holistic picture-
a picture that connects departments; that creates compatibility between
different roles and mostly importantly- about bringing people together who
share the same vision.
I believe becoming a master is about
embracing the opportunities life has to offer you and using these opportunities
to make a meaningful impact in the lives of the people you work with; the
people you stay with and the communities you live in. Being a master is not
about power nor is it about status- it is about understanding your own
potential to initiate positive change.
