professional buzz

I've been hearing about "professional growth" a lot lately. Not only from people in the office but from my friends and family also. Seems that most of the people I know are starting to wonder if there's growth in their present situations in their respective jobs.

When I started working, I didn't have a career plan. All I wanted was to look for a job so I can buy my own clothes, and stuff. I wanted to feel independent from my family and I wanted to taste the fruits of all the years that I spent wracking my brains in school. After a while, I started to read books about what I do (Marketing). It dawned on me that I really loved what I was doing and it also helped that my bosses and officemates at that time were the type of people who had their own career plans. They influenced me a lot and so I decided to make a career plan for myself.

I worked my way through the ranks. Started as a sales person and now I'm managing my own marketing department. I'd like to think that I did well in everything that I did. I was never satisfied doing a job. I always see to it that I learn from what I'm doing. That's why I'm always ready to do what the bosses tell me to do, even though I've never done it before. I like learning new things, not because I have to, but maybe because that's how I really am.

I enjoy what I'm doing, otherwise I wouldn't be here. I always try to go the extra mile in whatever I do. I like pushing, myself to the limit.

Now with all these talks about growth, it made me think of why some people grow and why some people stay where they are, even though they think they should grow.

I've observed successful people and I think these are some of their defining qualities:

• They are aware of their stengths and weaknesses. They know where they stand, what they can do and they know how to work around their weeknesses.
  
• They're always willing to learn. They find out how things work and in the process, they understand how to make it work.
  
• They work above and beyond the call of duty. This sets them apart from the rest of the pack. BUT there is a big difference between workng "above and beyond" to tryng to hard. People who try to hard do not know their own strength and weekness.
  
• They're emotionally stable. These people won't get affected or at least show their affected with whatever issues (political, professional and personal) that come their way. I always say that emotions have no place in business. I've had my share of office arguments but I never bring these issues home with me. I may hate some people because of how they work, but I can surely have a bottle of beer with this person after working hours.
  
• They always have good relations with the people they work with. Never have enemies in the office. You'll never know when they'll bite you in the butt.
• They never indulge with office gossip.
  
• They have the willingness to lead whenever the situation calls for it.
• They're also very patient and understanding. No biases and they're willing to listen, accept criticism and adjust.
• They have the balls to stand up for what is right.
  

I think some people just don't get it. People don't get promoted because of their tenure or seniority. They get promoted because they do more than just a good job, regardless of age, tenure, experience and education. At least that's the way I see it.

If people want to be promoted, they should look at themselves in a mirror and see if they're really ready for it. If they think they are . . . then I think they're not.

People will never be ready. You learn on the job. And that's the exciting part.

I think the best people to say if somone's ready are their officemates and superiors.

Of course, the organizational maturity of the company you're working for plays a big part in a person's professional growth but that's a different story.

I know some people who didn't accept their own promotion because they felt that they're happy where they are. Different strokes for different folks I guess. I think that people who know where and when they're happy are the luckiest people of all.

Walang personalan . . . trabaho lang :D