Critical Careers - Women Building Careers in Digital Infrastructure - Book - Page 15
Looking at your growth so far, which skills
have made the biggest difference for you,
and why?
If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be 昀氀exibility. I’ve had four
different job titles in the last couple of years because every time
something new came up, I said, “I’ll give it a go.” If I’d stuck rigidly
to what I was originally hired to do, I’d probably still be a PA. Instead,
when I was asked to head up marketing, I didn’t say no because I wasn’t
quali昀椀ed. It was, “Alright, I’ll learn.”
I’ve always tried to go a step further than what’s expected. I’m not a web
designer, but I’ve asked our web designer to show me how to update
things myself. Partly because it makes the business more ef昀椀cient, but
also because I want to understand it. You can brief someone on how
you’d like something done, but when you know how to do it yourself,
you gain a completely different level of control and con昀椀dence. Every
new skill compounds.
Adaptability has been just as important. The shift from teaching in a
classroom to representing a professional community at international
events is not small. You have to learn how to present yourself differently,
how to speak to different audiences, how to read a room. I’m still
learning that. But being open to evolving is so important.
That said, 昀氀exibility doesn’t mean saying yes to everything. Early on, I
did that. And you hit capacity quickly. One of the biggest growth points
for me has been understanding when a “yes” genuinely adds value and
when a “no” protects your effectiveness. Being adaptable is powerful,
but so is recognising your limits before you reach burnout.
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