Phoenix

Phoenix

My first job out of college was probably a lot like yours. Do everything, keep your eyes and ears open, try not to mess big things up. Trial by fire right? Come on, it’s not like I was going to present to a client in my first week! I do remember those first months vividly. At the end of every day, I left exhausted, thinking how was I gonna do this for 40 years! I learned a lot of skills that I use to this day. From dealing with coworkers, doing stuff I didn’t like, to taking direction and bringing new ideas or skills that added value. These continue to be critical skills all of us need to master to succeed. After a while, I got the rhythm down. The people were great and I was asked to do a few new things here and there.

Like many organizations, people are given additional new projects and they do it effortlessly. For me it was a little rocky! I found myself overextended or distracted, leaving some important stuff to the side while working on the not so important stuff. Ugh, some of these were stupid, like putting an important Fed Ex package in the outgoing mail - only to realize it 20 minutes later! I actually went to the back of the post office to find it - let’s just say they have a lot of packages!?Mostly, these were more mundane issues that just happen during the course of a business day, but I took it upon myself to fix them. And I somehow fixed a great deal of them.

Rise of the Phoenix

If you know me, you know I love to talk and it’s probably because of my mouth that everyone knew if I was dealing with a problem. Of course they also knew when the problem got solved! I suppose I was operating at full disclosure. Like many of us in first jobs, I got a nickname. Mine was Phoenix, and it was given to me from a creative director who saw me rise from the ashes again and again, just like the fabled Phoenix. It was taken lightly and I owned it. Eventually, I moved on but I never forgot those crazy first years of the Phoenix.?

Looking back, I see more than a nickname. I think I was sharpening my skills, preparing for what we all do now, multi tasking! I moved from job to job and so did multi tasking. But in every role, I came across people who were fixated on their job alone and would not lift a finger to do something new, even when plans had to change. Yes, we all complain but we need to breathe and move forward. I guess I tap my inner Phoenix and try to figure out a fix. It’s not always clean or simple or perfect but I usually can get something going. Thank you Phoenix.

So for anyone starting their career or a new job, know that you will make mistakes. It’s gonna happen so embrace it. This an opportunity to fix problem and it’s how you recover that keeps you in the game!?