Are you asking the right questions?

A few days ago, as I settled down to watch some minutes of TV and then retire to bed, my phone rang. The call was from a colleague. Below is the dialogue that ensued:

 Colleague: ‘how are you and the family?’

Me: ‘We are very fine, thank God. How are you and yours?’

Colleague: ‘Very well. They are still managing me.’

Ha! Ha! We laughed.

Me: What’s up?

Colleague: I have been thinking…. What do I need to do to move to the next rung of my career ladder?

Me: my voice expressed a smile and then we launched into a conversation.

I was proud of him. In spite of the distractions of the pandemic and its effects, he remained focused. He saw the cup as half full not half empty. He recognized that opportunities come disguised as challenges. He had a clear understanding of the chaos around him and was determined to find his peace therein.

Below are some of the nuggets I shared with him:

·      Start operating at the next level ow – it’s often too late to prepare when you are faced with a war.

Sweat in practice so you do not have to bleed in war - spartan creed

·      Be a person of value and influence. Enable you direct and indirect teams to deliver on the objectives of your organization.

·      Show up and take responsibility. Volunteer for projects and tasks.

·      Nurture relationships across the organization. It births a sense of unity and togetherness

·      Hone your skills. Audit them and take action to bridge the gap.

I then asked him the question – ‘who are you without the brand?’ I asked because it is important to have a sense of meaning which derives from within us more than without. It is that innate sense of meaning that breathes life into our expressions – mindset, family, career, finances and relationships. So I ask again ‘who are you without your position?’ – Your position is simply an enabler of your purpose.

Let’s learn from this young man not to be consumed and trapped in this chaos around us. We need to plan, remember the chaos will ebb away. Let us center ourselves from time to time by focusing on our vision and goals. Most importantly, to ask the right questions.

Make it a great week by asking the right questions.