This is how we would react anytime there is someone who is walking or driving too fast. But now a days I see a lot of people who are very eager to reach the finish line without even checking their gears or starting from the starting point. Short cuts ba. Gusto mauna, nagmamadali. Those who hunger fame, title and position the easy way. I was talking to a young professional last week and he is seeking advise about his career. He wants to move to another company but when i asked the reason he said because he is not being promoted even though he knows more than his manager. That hurts because I myself is also a manager. But technically speaking, yes, I rely on my team for the technical execution but with my direction. So, going back to the young professional, I ask him apart from the position what else do you aim. He said a higher pay, which I think is okay but when I asked his current pay range, it is already aligned, more or less, with the industry standard. So, why do you want to jump up fast? Without waiting for this answer, I told him it took me almost 20yrs to be in this position. 20 years of almost giving up to some tasks, enjoying the tasks at hand, learning the skills I have. Never did I crave or ask for a title or position or ask my boss for a higher pay. I just deliver and deliver with what I think is required and with quality. I never complain, though that may be a disadvantage sometimes but I want to take the challenge and try the waters first before saying ‘I cannot do that’ or ‘I don’t want to do that’. I may have taken the long path but that path shaped my perspective, vision and attitude towards work. Being able to experience the struggles and challenges helped me shape my critical thinking skills and understanding my peers’ actions. These experiences molded my personality as a leader and as a motivator. If not for those failures and mistakes I committed, I may not be this sturdy to face the changes and uncertainties not only at work but in life. So, if there is one thing I would advise the new generation of leaders now, that is to take your time. Take the long path if you may but with the mindset to always perform with you best foot forward. Learn from your failures. Stop, maybe, for some time to think and analyze what went wrong and bounce back with the better you. Never quit, just rest. With this, you will one day be able to sit and say, ‘I made it’, realizing you were directed to the short cut through your supreme performance. Inspire others, mentor new peers. Use your grit to emphasize your capabilities. Be bold. Take the challenge and you will soon see the fruits of your hard work.
