Source: Lisa D's product notes
Last night, I ran with my professional elite Carrie, a gold card student, who has successfully changed her career from an architectural design position to an overseas marketing position for new energy storage.
Asked what the three big pitfalls you've stepped on in your past career are
She replied:
1. I learned a sinkhole major "architectural design", and I graduated one year later than others in 5 years of undergraduate, not to mention that I was unemployed after graduation, and the employment environment of the entire real estate construction industry was poor, the salary was low, the development was small, and I was facing layoffs at any time.
2. I work very diligently every day, but I feel that my irreplaceability is very weak, and I don't have many bright achievements, and I don't know what my strengths are.
3. I don't know how to get along with the leader, although the leader has strong business ability, but his personality is paranoid, his empathy is weak, he can't listen to the suggestions, and he rarely gives her practical help.
I don't know if you've experienced these pits?
Especially when she mentioned a stubborn leader who was difficult to please and a confused self, I also chuckled in my heart, because I also experienced all this when I was younger.
I remember when I first started working, there was a weekly meeting, and the leader said:
Lisa, why hasn't your project moved for so long, can't you handle it?
Before I could answer, he continued: Who can handle this customer in Russia, Lisa is relatively tender, her communication skills are not good, and she does not understand technology, so it is estimated that she will not be even.
My tears of grievance flowed down the spot.
The latter project was replaced by other more experienced colleagues in the department to take over
For me, who has been strong all my life, I really tried my best to prove that I could during that time.
After dealing with the project at hand every day, I was unwilling to follow my colleagues to understand the problem and communicate with my technical colleagues, and finally the project was aborted for various reasons.
But after a few months, I was not only physically tired, but also deeply doubted my own ability, whether I was suitable to be a product manager? Will I still be able to work in this company?
Of course, Sister Lisa still cheered up, not only did she have a lot of excellent products and brought out a lot of excellent product managers, but also started two educational technology companies that developed very well, 16 years later, looking back at the beginning, I felt that I was really stupid at that time.
The trap of self-evidence
To use a precise word to define me at that time, it is the "self-proof trap": desperately trying to make up for my shortcomings, wanting to be someone else, but never becoming someone else.
This is the stupidest thing people do in the workplace.
I hope you don't fall into this self-proof trap like Sister Lisa. You can compare and see if you encounter something that you can't figure out, and you will think like this:
Why do I say I can't, I'm already working on it ...
I can practice, I can learn, I can make amends, I can prove to you that I can do it!
Once you fall into this trap, you will enter a vicious circle of self-proof
I spend a lot of energy on what I'm not good at, but I don't feel like I'm working hard enough.
How do we solve this problem?
In fact, it is completely possible to adjust the focus from the self to the matter itself, and we can think like this:
I'm really not good at this, and working with xx, who is better at it, has better results
You see, isn't the problem solved quickly?
After jumping out of the trap of self-evidence, you will know what you are good at, the kernel is stable, and you can always get things done easily.
Too many people like to prove their innocence in the workplace, prove themselves to be hardworking, prove themselves smart, prove themselves competent, and expect themselves to become a hexagonal warrior.
But it ignores the fact that each of us has boundaries to what we can do.
Blindly self-proved, and worked hard for half a day to prove nothing,
On the contrary, the shortcomings are exposed more thoroughly,
Completely obscuring your own brilliance.
Here's the fact:
The shortcomings you have exposed are not worth your huge effort at all!
If you work your personal shortcomings, you can only reach mediocrity;
Focus on the advantages of the long version and take the advantages to the extreme,
On the contrary, you can become an irreplaceable member of the team.
The case of product manager Xiaobai
Yesterday afternoon, I had a career development consultation with Xiaobai, an Internet product manager who has been working for 10 years
He spoke of his current confusion:
1. After working as a product manager for so many years, I feel that I am quite tired, and I feel that I am not interested in doing market research, doing prototype drawings, and communicating projects in my next job.
2. It seems that I have seen the endgame of middle-aged people on the Internet: by the age of 40, no matter how strong your ability is, you will be laid off, and the possibility of finding a good job at this time is very low
3. If you want to start your own business, especially interested in the new energy industry, is it feasible to change the industry to do sales? But this involves changing careers and changing jobs, which feels very difficult.
In fact, this Baozi's problem is very common: in the 10-year career, he has not found his favorite position, nor has he given full play to his strengths, and the next plan is just that he feels better among many choices. As a result, negative emotions towards the workplace are generated.
At this time, don't treat your head with a headache or a sore foot.
You have to dig out your own advantages from the most essential problems, and give full play to this advantage to solve the problem.
Finally, after communication, I suggested to him
1. Find your own advantages: understanding products, being able to lead projects, and expert positioning are more suitable for him than management positioning
2. If you want to start a small and beautiful company in the future, at this stage, the new energy industry is definitely more suitable than the Internet industry
3. His weaknesses: he doesn't understand the new energy industry, doesn't understand marketing, and has no entrepreneurial experience.
4. How to solve these three shortcomings: enter a new energy medium-sized enterprise, continue to do product positions, first achieve the goal of entering the industry, accumulate resources in the process, and then look for sales partners to find opportunities to start a business.
After listening to this advice, it dawned on him.
Yes, when you think that you need to do everything yourself and learn it yourself, the fear of difficulty is huge.
When you understand your strengths and weaknesses are solved through cooperation, the opportunities are opened up hundreds of times.
How do you find your strengths?
I would like to share with you a way to find your strengths
First, ask yourself questions about these four dimensions and write them down on a piece of paper:
Then use the SIGN model to do systematic combing:
S: Past success stories, highlight moments
I: Your instincts, nature, and spontaneous drive
G: Where is the learning rate faster and the return on investment higher?
N: What are the things that make you feel very fulfilled and align with your values?