1826 & counting

In the age of 1917, I thought I would use the same analogy to describe my 1826 day journey thus far at Microsoft. Today I complete 5 years at this company, the longest (by far) I have spent anywhere in my career. Much like the superb movie, it feels like it's been 1 giant continuous shot interspersed by new directions, changes in locale, characters appearing & disappearing and feeling like a small cog in a giant wheel driving towards our mission. Along the way I have learned and un-learned much about myself, my strengths, areas of improvement and found my partner - a happy byproduct of time, space and circumstance! Here's the highlight reel, hopefully it will resonate with those of you who have gone through this milestone anywhere, and those that will one day get there.

Scene 1 - Getting Going

Half an hour into my career at Microsoft, my manager changed. That bolt of change was a harbinger of things to come, and boy am I glad I took it as that! It's difficult for anyone to be faced with uncertainty at work. To be unclear about your role, boss and team on Day 1 is a shock, but is silver lined by the fact that it can only get better from there! I was lucky that I was soon setup with one of the best managers I've ever had, and the grounding I received with the freedom I was given meant I could let my natural tendencies drive my learning thereafter. Like any rolling stone at the foot of a mountain, that momentum and passion at lower reaches will be the engine in your bonnet for the years to come. Lesson - it's ok to be uncertain. Neither is it permanent, nor is it always bad. Take the chance to survey the lay of the land, and learn maniacally.

Scene 2 - Change of Environment

One of the best things I have encountered at Microsoft is grizzled veterans unexpectedly reaching out and giving you a chance. It speaks to the culture of the company that while people are always watching, there is almost a sense of corporate genealogy that yields in successive generations moving forward. I've myself been the beneficiary of this more than once, and it's a trait that I commune with. With help, I made a switch from Operations to Sales, and though it was aligned to some past experience and future potential, it was still made possible and (thus far) successful thanks to those helping hands. I've tried to adopt this myself by actively participating in our University recruiting programs, and I love it! Lesson - look out for the next generation, you never know when you might come across special someone(s).

Scene 3 - A deeper sense of responsibility and beyond

Now in Year 6, I'm in a position where I am responsible for more than just myself. Directly or indirectly, we all find ourselves in a position where what you say and do matters more than just what you say or do. How matters, when matters, context matters. I've personally struggled with aspects of this, but I genuinely believe that given awareness and intent, this is coachable. I am both a recipient and patron of this now, and I have seen how powerful this can be in good ways and bad. There are times when I question the big picture given a few bad experiences, but honestly when you measure it all up and the scale is positive, it's probably best to chalk it up to a moment in time gone wrong. Lesson - always assume good intent, but take nothing for granted. I try and learn this very hard thing from people around me, including my boss who is phenomenal at it, but one day I'll be content to give it my best and work on other strengths.

Epilogue

As Satya says, we spend far too much time at work for it to not have meaning. That meaning is deeply personal, and is the only real internal compass you'll reliably have. Mine is to constantly try new things - roles, strategies, opportunities. Thus far, I've had the rub of the green. When the time comes where I don't, I'll count on the 1826+ days of learning, my internal compass and trust in my overarching choice of company and industry to get through the trenches and beyond.

On to the next 5!