MASTER OF ALL OR NONE..?

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.

www.tokiso-inspiration.blogspot.com

NEW YEAR...NEW START

With 14 days into the New Year, I believe it is still relevant to continue the common trend of “niceties” and good wishes for the New Year.   So here goes, “I genuinely hope 2013 will not only be a good year, but a year of positive change.”  For some, 2013 has started on a positive note, while others still struggle to let go of the previous year. Be that as it may, we all have a chance to survive and make something of this year.

 As the trend continues, we are all subjected to a particular question: “what are your New’ Year’s Resolutions?”   “What do you hope to achieve this year? “While many of us simply give a brief response as a means to meet the status quo and give the impression that our lives have direction, I took time to actually think about this question- to really think deeply about it.

We are often told that a new year gives us a chance to start over again. We are led to believe that it’s an easy exercise- where you simply flip the page and rewrite the chapter. But is it really this easy? Is it as simple as the experts make it seem?  I ask these questions because, I believe in the theory of New Year’s resolutions and it continues to work for me.

I believe in setting goals- goals that you hope to achieve by December 2013.  And as it appears, I have written on the importance of setting goals in my previous blog posts and I believe this topic is still as relevant in 2013.  I have spent days thinking about which direction I want my life to take in  2013; I have thought about what I hope to achieve- be it the amount of money I plan to save, the kind of friend I hope to be or even where I hope to see my career go. And the efforts of those days were delicately written down to ensure that the goals were binding.  I took it a step further and decided on action plans to execute my goals and set time frames. And as I continue planning for 2013 and putting plans in action, I cannot ignore the fact that many other people might not be as fortunate.

Many people suffered the tragic events of 2012- strikes, unemployment, below par matric results, failure and many other sad things. Some of our friends lost loved ones, and others suffered accidents.  2012 was honestly a bad year for some people and we cannot ignore the damage it caused. As 2013 picks up momentum, I realise that a lot of my friends still struggle to let go of the mistakes of the previous year and as a result fail to cease the opportunities the New Year has to offer. They torture themselves for their failures made in 2012 and constantly remain prisoners of their thoughts.  They fail to see the opportunity to start afresh, to let go of those goals we thought were important and to set better and bigger goals. They struggle to let go of the pain 2012 brought into their lives and give 2013 a chance to heal their pain.

 Starting afresh is not about forgetting the past, but accepting the things you no longer have control over and embracing those you can change. I believe that setting resolutions is not about looking smart in front of your family and friends or giving people the impression that your life is perfect. New Year resolutions for me are about setting a bench mark for your life-a standard that you can measure how well you are doing or how you can improve. It is about trying new things- doing things that make you a better person.

I believe in setting a theme for the year ahead, a theme that will give your life direction and meaning. My theme for 2013 is to begin my journey from being good to becoming great.  This theme guides and inspires me to give my best in all that I do and I believe setting your own individual theme will do the same for you. This is a chance to rewrite your mistakes of the previous year; a chance to initiate positive change in your personal life.

As 2013 quickly picks up momentum towards December, let us jump on the train and begin our journey to a better life. A resolution is a simple guide that gives you a reason to get up and do something meaningful- whether you hope to save money, change your attitude, touch lives- give it your absolute all because the reward will be worth it.

All the best for 2013 and to making this the best year.

MENTAL PRISON

It is Sunday evening and I find myself in a state of depression. What brought about this state is unknown to me. Initially, I thought it was the dreaded feeling of Monday or the prospect of a new week and the challenges that come with it. I searched far and wide, desperately trying to pin point the source of this new feeling of self pity.

For weeks, I’ve found myself filled with feelings of anger and self pity and the recent drama at work just pushed this poison deeper in my system. It feels like I am loosing grip on who I am; on what I want and where I want to go.

Waking up in the mornings has started becoming problematic. My usual positive nature has slowly been fading away. Could I have resentments? Could I have given people power over my life?  Could I have underestimated my potential?

It gets worse, not only have I been feeling sorry for myself, but have begun doubting my potential. I used to wake up feeling motivated to make a difference both at work and in society. I used to overcome setbacks and pick up myself each time I fell. My mind feels locked up- caged by steel and thick locks. What used to give me a reason to wake up and work hard, no longer gives me this feeling. What used to inspire me to become a better person feels like it’s gone. My mind has become a prisoner of negative thoughts. My thoughts are prisoners of  my limitations; limitations I am placing on myself.

On this Sunday evening, I find myself lying on the couch trying to find my spark. I find myself begging to find something that will give me a reason to wake up tomorrow morning. In my desperate attempt, I page through the pages of the new Destiny Man issue and the first sentence on one of the articles is “Brilliant One, its 3am and I’m writing you a personal note to remind you that your brilliance has been repressed long enough.”

At this moment, I felt a new feeling surge through my system, so I read further. Simon T Bailey has a way with words that will reignite your spark and I quote, “There’ll never be a better time than right now for you to become the person you’ve dreamed of becoming”. I read this article to the finish and read it another 3 times.

He reminded me that when we are worried our brains get stuck in survival mode and doesn’t invest in new thinking,. It is when we start growing our brains , that we start living. He further says that when we start living, we begin to believe.

I am aware that it takes a while to get back to my positive self, but I can start developing new and innovative ideas that will inspire me. I am prepared to get up tomorrow morning with a hunger to become the person I’ve always dreamt of becoming.  I have a choice to leave my mind a prisoner of me imposed limitations; to get influenced by the bitterness of some of my colleagues or I can decide to become the person I want to be every day.

Simon Bailey concludes his article with a quote from James Allen’s book, “whatever your present environment may be, you will fall, remain, or rise with your thoughts, your vision, and your ideal. “

As Monday approaches, I challenge myself to be the kind of business man, I’ve always wanted to be and I challenge you to do the same.

THE CORPORATE CHAPTER

It is truly encouraging to see so many graduates embarking on different journeys in life; journeys that mark new beginnings in their careers; journeys that should be considered crucial foundations in their development as leaders.   Despite the economic crisis that affects many countries – there is still a growing need to employ graduates.

While many of us are overwhelmed by the opportunity awarded to us- an opportunity to be a part of the workforce, it is equally important to realize our responsibilities and expectations many of our employers have.

The hunger of being a corporate citizen began long before my tertiary days.  I fell in love with the idea of dressing up in formal attire; attending strategic meetings; conference calls, many trainings and business trips around the country. I also admired the title that followed at the end of different correspondences “CEO, CFO, COO, CII on e-mails, business cards etc.   What I soon realized is that for this hunger to materialize, a lot of work was required.

The reality of being an employee of a big organization is that you are accountable for your own development. The success of your career lies with you.  The first step starts when you decide to get out of bed in the morning and the attitude you adopt at that point.

You have a choice to make- whether you love what you do or whether you hate it. And if you hate it- what action are you going to take to change it.

 It is becoming evident that many graduates had expectations of what the corporate sector was about. And to our surprise, there are many discrepancies between what we expected and the reality of it. Some of us expected immediate promotions because we had qualifications.  Others expected different Salary Grades and some simply expected a smooth ride. Some of us expected intimidating colleagues or managers; while others are enjoying great working environments.  

Be it as it may, we still have a choice to make.   Are you going to let that salary grade affect your career? Are you going to let the bitter colleague affect your learning? Are you going to let your qualification shadow your learning and development? Are you going to let your pride hinder your progress? How are you going to deal with the discrepancy? How are you going to overcome this setback? How do you position yourself to make the most of the situation?

 What I’ve come to learn is that life is not a bed of roses. It is a journey that constantly requires a lot tough choices. Malcolm Gladwell wrote in his book, Outliers, that there are three things your job must provide;

1.     Autonomy (independence)to make decisions

2.     Complexity(challenge) to engage your mind

3.     Connection between effort and reward

He explains that when these things are in place- then your job will be meaningful. It is at this point that you will love what you do- where your colleagues’ bitterness will be irrelevant. It is through these three pillars that your journey will be meaningful and the title you’ve dreamed about will begin to materialize.

To my graduate friends, we have the qualifications, but without experience the qualifications are incomplete. Let us swallow our pride and learn. Let us leave our egos at home and humble ourselves. The more we learn, the better equipped we will be to lead our organizations to new levels. Malcolm Gladwell further wrote in his book, Outliers, “hard work is a prison sentence only if it does not have meaning.” So find the meaning in the work you do and free yourself from the prison you are in. The choice to succeed lies with you… what are you going to do?

CROSS ROADS

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.  And sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler. Long I stood and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair and having perhaps the better claim, because it was grassy and wanted wear. Though as for that, the passing there had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay in leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh. Somewhere ages and ages hence; two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less travelled by. And that has made all the difference.

I am overwhelmed by how relevant a poem this old is today. It is strange how drastically things have changed over the years, yet somehow remain the same. We face the same challenges as our forefathers; poverty, lack of education, racial division and some sort of oppression- we suffer similar pains and illnesses and to some extent, embrace their fashion in our time.

There comes a point in one’s life when tough choices have to be made -for example, the institution to pursue your studies,  the qualification to pursue, the company to work for, the department of preference, the ideal wife or husband, the brand of car and the school your children should attend. There’s always an array of choices to made, and more often than not- they are not easy to make.

All too often I find myself asking “what do I want for my life?” “Where do I want to be?” “What’s the best solution to my problem?” With each probing question I ask-the answers seem to disappear with each education brochure I read or the different departments I work within the company. The threshold of my confusion seems to be slowly spiraling out of control.

I find myself at a cross road- faced with a tough choice to make; which road to embark on as I lay the first milestone of my career. I am currently in a graduate development program which entails rotating within different departments of the bank.  My passion to study further is forcing me to choose between Risk Management and Investment Management and the impact this will have on my career development. While both alternatives will influence my work- different reasons to pursue one over the other come into play .Do I pursue what will get me ahead at work or do I pursue something I find interesting? Do I pursue one over the other because it’s more familiar?  Or do I pursue one over the other for self development?

The possibilities each road offers are enticing, the prospects are both rewarding. The one road guarantees security and comfort and is travelled by a lot of people. The other however, is less familiar and unhampered - providing an opportunity for growth; a new arena to diversify and influence.  By default- our society does not like the unfamiliar as it’s perceived to be risky and uncertain-but what if taking this journey changes your life?

Many students and people have been at a cross road some point in their lives- a point where you had to choose one option over another.  Different factors could have influenced your decision- be it parents, finances or opportunities at that time. Some of us have followed the crowd because their way seemed easier and more secure-even though we wanted to take a riskier and more adventurous road.    

The question we should be asking ourselves today is “are we going to travel the road more travelled? Or “are we ready to forge our path- a road less travelled?

I believe the time for us to take responsibility for our destiny is upon us.  The first step starts with making a choice that is aligned to the vision we have for our lives; the kind of future we’ve dreamed about.

Like Robert Frost, stand at the intersection of your life and decide- do you want to succeed or fail? Do you want to change your situation or dwell in your misery?  Take the road less travelled and be the difference you want to see in your life.

Smile. Laugh. Live

Craft your Success

Many authors have written widely on the subject of success, with different definitions as to what success means to different people. Some define success as the accumulation of material things- cars, houses, jewelry and the likes. Others define success as the achievement of one’s goals and dreams. Strictly speaking ‘success’ is a rather subjective definition- based on different perspectives, situations and journeys in life.

According to the Oxford definition of success- it is defined as the accomplishment of an aim or purpose; the attainment of fame, wealth or social status or a person or things that achieves desired aims or attains fame, wealth etc.

 Our society plays a significant role in defining what success is and more often than not, their definition of success comes with stereotypes, a degree of comparison and pressure. To elaborate on what I mean- our society defines one as successful when they have attained a Bachelors degree from a recognized institution; employed by a popular employer; drives a certain brand of car and has a LSM( Living Standard Measure) of between 7-10. The very same communities are quick to dismiss anyone else who does not live up to these norms- classifying them as failures, rebels and unruly.

For those who have attempted to live up to these norms; they face immerse comparison. Our parents compare us to our neighbor’s children and their degree of achievement and further compare us with our siblings. They compare the degrees attained; where they are attained from and the jobs and salaries we earn.

Why is that?

It is every parents dream to see their children succeed and become respectable members of society. I believe it brings them fulfillment and a sense of “success”- the kind of fulfillment that they’ve achieved their mission in life.  Our societies too would love to see their communities prosper and thrive- with their children learned and accomplished.

Can we really blame society for sometimes being harsh on us should we not live up to these norms?  

No, we cannot. It is our duty to craft our own success- to craft a future for ourselves and for our country. We cannot blame our parents for wanting the best for us, even if it means they constantly compare us. We cannot blame our communities for reprimanding us for “failing’” to live up to the expected norm- what we can do however, is to establish our own definition of success.

I believe that success is a journey that each one of us travels; each with its special challenges; each a very unique journey. I also believe that we are all responsible for becoming Masters of our own success stories; authors of our own destinies and artists of our life’s master piece.

The art of crafting one’s success is dependent on the crafter of that story- in this case you. It is up to you to set a pace for your success- to set the aims of what you want to achieve in your own life. It is a process that requires you to actively participate in your own life. Set your goals that you want to accomplish in your own life- be it education, career development or being a contribution in your family.  Actively pursue the goals you’ve set for yourself- constantly working hard to make them a reality.

A journey of success would be incomplete without obstacles and setbacks; so prepare yourself to face different hardships in your pursuit of success. There will be failures- challenges and moments when you feel like quitting. All these are part and parcel of the pursuit of success- your definition of success.  What matters is how you respond to the setbacks.

Stephen Covey wrote in his book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, that you cannot control things that are beyond your control, so do not waste time focusing on those things, instead focus on your inner circle – the circle of influence- the things you can control and influence. So spend time focusing on the things you have direct control over and making them great. An author wrote that “success is a journey and not a destination.” With this said- you must continually embark on a journey of crafting your success- developing yourself; your career and your relationships.

My definition of success and yours might not necessarily be the same. But it is up to you to find your definition. I consider success as constantly overcoming my setbacks, achieving the different goals I set for myself- seeing my career develop and my relationship with different stakeholders grow and prosper. I define success as the journey I am undertaking each morning and each year- growing, learning and making a contribution to our society.

What is your definition of success?

“Don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t do something. Not even me. You got a dream- you gotta protect it. When people can’t do something themselves, they gonna tell you that you can’t do it. You want something, go get it period” ( Will Smith- Pursuit of Happyness film”

GRADUATION

It is every student’s dream to gracefully walk to the venue booked for the conferment of degrees, diplomas or certificates- what we commonly refer to as graduation. And as such, it comes with a number of serious preparations- the perfect suit for those who love the professional look; the stylish pair of stilettos for the woman of power and lastly the Haute

Once the first phase of preparations is done, we move on to the second part- the academic wear. This is my all time favorite- the sophistication of this look and respect it commands is overwhelming. It is not every day you wear the academic hat- so when you do; you want to make sure it fits perfectly and couture for the fashion gurus.

Graduation is a highlight for many students, mainly because it is a representation of the long hours we invested; the personal sacrifices many of us made. It is a token of our hard work, the discipline we displayed and the journey many of us travelled together. And it makes sense for it to be rather emotional.

I found myself anxiously waiting for graduation because I knew it was a glorious moment. I knew it was a reflection of my hard work, the sacrifices I made. It was a reminder that when you have a goal and you are prepared to work towards that goal- achieving it was possible.

There was a significant message I took with me from graduation as the guest speaker gave his key note address and he said:

“There are three pillars to what I can success-

1.    you need to work hard, very hard

2.    you need to be ethical, very ethical

3.    You need to have the right attitude, all the time.

This was a message I knew could make a positive contribution to my development as a person. This is the kind of message that could make you the person eligible for that promotion at work; the kind of student that eventually graduates; the kind of leader that could change our country.

The guest speaker further went on to say “if you are not adding value- then you are consuming value.”  This was a reminder to me that where ever you are- and whatever you are doing, it is imperative to make a contribution- that you add value.

As many us go to graduation and eventually go back to our new jobs or honors classes- remember what this guest speaker said. We need to work hard- very hard. We must be people with morals and ethics. Our attitude must be right- the kind that says “I can” and lastly we need to start adding value – to our companies, our families and our communities, because if we are not adding value, then we are consuming value.

Wishing all the graduates a prosperous future and to those working towards it, a successful and fruitful journey.