Sometimes All You Have to Do is Show Up

My first job with a multi-national was with Airtel Nigeria . It was a temporary role with the IT Service Desk based in Oyinjolayemi, Ikoyi, Lagos. My invitation to the interview was somewhat dramatic. I will share it again even though I have shared it over and over again in past articles and YouTube videos.

I had shared my resume with a former schoolmate who was moving on from Airtel Nigeria to 斯伦贝谢 . Incidentally, 斯伦贝谢 used to be known as an "oil company" but has transitioned to digital technology. So this encounter happened on a Friday afternoon on my way home. By Monday, while picking up something at Victoria Island for someone I was then working for, I got a call. This was a good call at a bad time: 1:00 PM on a Monday while I was in the field.

It was a bad time because I was wearing a pair of red oversized jeans and a dirty yellow, t-shirt. I was about two hours away from home, Oyinjolayemi was about 20 minutes away and the interview was at 2:00 PM. Short story, I got the job!

"Throughout the last century, we’ve constantly adapted to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers and partners. It’s a heritage with innovation at its heart. With bold thinking, we’ve established ourselves as early adopters of digital solutions and pioneers of new mindsets to tackle the net-zero challenge." - 斯伦贝谢

Risk-Laden Stories About Showing Up

Are You a Remedy Expert?

Ayo was one of those who was very level-headed in his approach to work having been exposed to global organizations so far as I could tell. I had always been enthusiastic about filling the gap between novices and vendors in taking care of our BMC Software Action Request System for ITSM and Call Centre. We were discussing a change that would be implemented in the back end. There were questions on the faces of colleagues seated in the room. My confidence was scary.

I am sure many seniors were excited that we could save some money by doing those tasks internally but Ayo, seeing the risk I was taking asked, "Are you a Remedy expert?". I can't remember the exact words I used but I responded with a lot of confidence as usual. Or was that bravado! ??

Whatever it was, it worked. I became the go-to technical resource for BMC Software AR System for ITSM as well as the customized solution for the Airtel Nigeria Call Centre. I was politically protected by the likes of Anne Abiodun , my boss and Olawale Ayuba . It was also in those days I met the likes of samir kazi and many other expert vendors who were happy to have clients' internal skills rise from within.

I simply showed up and filled a gap. It paid off.

Linux Would Have Been a Good Idea

Many experiences in Airtel Nigeria were embossed on my memory. One of them was the moment when I was walking down the stairs with CHIBUEZE EXCEL ODIGBO whose afro and thick glasses I was always intrigued about. He gently navigated our conversation to an enquiry about where my career was going. This was before I showed up in the BMC Software Remendy space. In that branch of the conversation, he mentioned the value of pursuing Linux.

Fastforward about five years later, I found myself in Accra, working for a bank whose core systems were running on IBM AIX. Any IT person working there had to know something about unix-like operating system commands. So even though I was employed to take care of 微软 SQL Server, I was expected to do some work on IBM AIX and 甲骨文 databases. The early days were tough. I remember one of those days while struggling with commands, I could feel someone giggling behind me.

I was not perfect, but I showed up when I had the opportunity to.

My Thought-Provoking Philosophy About Showing Up

Leave the Known Behind

I have met many IT professionals who are very comfortable staying with what they know. It is safe and low risk to stick with what you already know. In those days, when I transitioned from IT Service Desk to Application Support, a senior had mentioned he didn't know I was an application expert. He thought I was a Service Desk expert. Expert, expert, expert. How loosely we use the word. The only thing I needed to be an expert at is learning.

The only thing we really have to be experts at is learning.

When I transitioned from my role as 微软 SQL Server database administrator to Enterprise Architect back in Ecobank Transnational Incorporated , many colleagues insisted I still had to help them solve database performance problems. I could. I could still write and tune scripts. I could still see what some DBAs could not see. On one of those occasions, while supporting Segun ISIJOLA , he asked, "So you are going to leave this completely and do enterprise architecture?" (paraphrased). I answered "YES" without thinking too hard.

Embrace Something New

It is hard to leave what you are an "expert" at and known for only to embrace something new. As scary as it it, that could be your gateway to the next level of growth. Embrace the challenge to learn soemthing you didn't know before. The professional world is moving so fast that we cannot afford to remain in the same sphere for too long unless we are following the Veteran Career Growth Strategy. For me, that strategy is risky because of the "relic pitfall". Take a look at my course to learn more about this.

Leverage Your Professional History

I am by no means saying that what you knew before is no longer relevant. You must consider every level as the stepping stone to the next. Avoid emotional ties to the statement, "I am a Service Desk expert" "I am a database administrator" "I am an enterprise architect". All those are not who you are. They are simply what you currently do.

Think about the connections between how you are adding value today and how you will be required to add value tomorrow. It is almost like being an entrepreneur. Haven't you seen those subtle lines in job descriptions that have the word "entrepreneurial" in it? Even 斯伦贝谢 (Schlumberger), morphed from oil services company to digital innovation company. That is the age we are in.

Conclusion

Showing up is about being ready to identify a gap and fill it. You do not have to be perfect for the role, you just have to be ready. In many cases, being ready means being ready psychologically and being ready to learn. Let's face it, the quantum of learning resources for most roles these days, especially in the digital space, is overwhelming - more than enough for any newbie. Many role types in information technology are less than two decades old. Those who show up are already experts just by showing up.

Just before wrapping up it is important to state that when we do show up, we must show up ready to run fast. Do not compare yourself with the other local champions in your organization. Take a global view. Where you are is not the end. It is the beginning of a new journey.