In my career to date, I have had the pleasure, and in some cases the displeasure, of working with all kinds of people. I'm okay with faces, horrible with names, but great with quotes. While I may not remember so-and-so's birthday, spouse's name, or how I even know them at all . . . I do remember the random, poignant, things they've said. I hope one day to have a treasure trove of these little darlings to pass on to hungry proteges, but for now, I have seven . . . seven beloved quotes that have meant everything to my career:
1 - "You're a round peg trying to fit into a square hole."
I was initially heartbroken when a Director at a financial firm sent me on my merry way with that line. 10 years later, I couldn't be more appreciative. I would never have been happy in gray walls and daily suits. Know your strengths and play to them. It is futile to try to fit into an organizational culture that doesn't fit your personality.
2 - "You go where angels fear to tread."
In one of my first performance reviews this was stated to me as both my greatest strength and my greatest weakness . . . to date it still holds true (although I must credit Alexander Pope for this one for originally penning it). The key to making this approach work for you is knowing your audience. Regardless of how flat an organization is, every leader appreciates perspective, even dictators. Just be cautious with how you present it and always proceed with respect, confidence, and humility, they actually make a very nice cocktail.
3 - "Never assume you know someone's intentions."
Don't waste your energy projecting intentions on someone's actions, especially if they're perceived negatively. You'll save yourself a lot of angst and stress if you just let actions speak for themselves and resist the hefty temptation to read into them. (Speaking as one who over-analyzes the weather, it's a tough task, but so worth it.)
4 - "Don't say 'no' until you've had the opportunity to say 'yes'."
I firmly believe that good things come to those who don't just wait, they entertain. Any opportunity to network or learn should be greeted with polite invitation. You'll end up walking away more than you engage, but think of how much more you'll know for the next round.
5 - "It's not always about being right."
Toughest lesson to date. If you approached a madman on the street and he told you that the sky was falling, it's safe to say you'd probably continue walking. I know for certain you wouldn't sincerely argue with him about the facts. Apply this logic to business, however, and we lose our cool. Just because you know your opinion, suggestion, idea, or whatever, is the "right" one, it doesn't do you any favors to try and convince the unconvincable. (Yeah, made that word up . . . wanna argue about it?)
6 - "Find your inner &!%@#."
(Grandma, it's a quote, now please forgive me for repeating it.) The point is, you can be June Cleaver all day long, up until someone tries to take advantage. At that point, you need to find your inner call-it-what-you-want. For many of us, this can be REALLY hard. The desire to be liked, however, should never trump the desire to be respected. While this quote takes it a little too far in the other direction, it's a great motivator when I need to engage in some healthy and respectful conflict.
7 - "Don't underestimate your worth."
This goes beyond career. This is a quote for life - always know your worth in every facet of it. Overestimate it and you're a jerk, underestimate it and you're a fool, get it right and you get what you want out of life.
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