11 quick lessons from 11 quick years.

This week I celebrate my 11 year anniversary at LinkedIn.?The time has flown by, and has been so impactful for me—about how to lead, about who I am as a manager, and about what I stand for as a person—that I hardly remember the professional who walked through the doors of the Empire State Building in 2011.?Instead of compiling a long list of deep learnings from those years, I thought I’d share 11 micro-lessons.?I hope it provides some help to others; please reach out if you’d like to spend time digging in deeper on any of them!?And thank you to the many people who have given their time and energy to help me grow along my LinkedIn journey.?The list is far too long to include everyone, but some of the most influential mentors along my path include Alyssa Merwin, Pete Kim, Ryan Longfield, Mike Gamson, Mike Derezin, Dan Shapero, Shannon Brayton, Johnna Weber, Meg Garlinghouse, David Cohen, Mark Lobosco, James Raybould, Kimberly Dieter, and Ariana Younai.

1. Use a learning journal.?A coach of mine once said “you don’t learn by doing, you learn by reflecting on what you’ve done.”?I now realize how true that is, and think one of the best things everyone can do for their professional growth is spend 5 min each day reflecting on what went well, what could've gone better, and what you learned.
2. Find your approach to thrive through change, not in spite of it.?One of my favorite quotes recently is “behind mountains, there are more mountains.”?Thinking that you just need to get that tough project done and then everything will be easy is a fool’s errand.?Instead, spend time thinking about how you can get the most from the moment so you can get better at climbing the mountain.
3. “Leaders call a thing a thing.”?Sometimes the simplest statements are the best, and this one I refer back to regularly from the amazing Carla Harris.?Leadership takes courage, it takes a willingness to stand up for what’s right (especially if that’s not popular), and it takes the willingness to call a thing a thing.
4. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.?Discomfort is where the learning zone lies, and learning is the name of the game.?If you’re comfortable then you’re not learning, you’re just practicing what you already know.
5. Find your truth-teller.?LinkedIn is filled with posts about mentors, advocates, sponsors, coaches, etc. These people are incredible helpful, I’ve found that sometimes the very best resource is the person who will tell you the straight truth—good, bad, or ugly.?I recommend finding someone you trust who’s at your level (or no more than one level different) and close enough to your work to know what’s generally going on, but far enough away that they can provide a fresh perspective.
6. Show me where you spend your time and I’ll show you what you care about.?We talk a lot about important projects, to-do’s, initiatives, etc., but if you’re not actively making space on your calendar for it, it isn’t that important.?
7. Assume positive intent.?When you’re going through a tough moment, this is one of the fastest ways to develop compassion and improve your mindset.?I use this one all the time, especially when driving.?Mad because someone cut you off??Maybe they’re rushing to get to the hospital.?It’s so easy to build negative sentiment towards the "opposing" person, but try assuming positive intent and your approach (and stress levels) will immediately improve.
8. Add “yet”.?Learner’s mindset is so critical, and one of the easiest practices for doing so is to add “yet” to the end of any sentences that feel like self-judgements.?“I’m not great at the guitar…yet.”?“I really don’t feel good about pitching this new product…yet.”?
9. People don’t always want an answer; sometimes they just want you to listen.?This is particularly important for people leaders who are high-execution personalities (as many people leaders seem to be).?Sometimes the best way to start a conversation when someone comes to you with an issue is to ask them how you can be of service—as a coach, with a recommendation…or maybe, just to listen quietly.
10. Presence is often the biggest gift you can give.?Your complete attention to another person speaks volumes, especially in a world of constant distractions.?My first great manager, Richard Perez, would always give total focus to any rep who came in to tell him about a meeting they secured, no matter how insignificant.?Not surprisingly, the reps loved him for it and he was one of the most popular managers at the company.?
11. Managers are in the business of helping their people fulfill their potential, but often are presented with situations where they aren’t sure what to do.?When in doubt, just focus on the person.?It’s easy to get lost in the details, the endless meetings, or business of the day.?At the end of the day, however, I try to help the people I lead become more professionally successful and personally happy.?Whenever I remind myself of that, the complicated moment I'm in immediately becomes clearer and more helpful to all.