In my first “real” job out of college, I worked at a smaller company with a leader who took command and control to a whole new level. There was a lot of yelling and swearing in the office. We never knew how he would be from day to day, so we walked on eggshells afraid to say the wrong thing or to set him off. Although he hired some really smart and strong leaders, they were limited in what they could do because he wanted to make all the decisions. He was a bully and it stifled creativity, new ideas and the development of his people. It obviously wasn’t a healthy environment to be able to grow in as a leader and feel empowered. It taught me what it was like to work for a leader that was not respected, but feared.
Experiences like these will always teach you lessons and there were many takeaways that I carried with me into future roles. I learned how to build relationships from a work perspective with people who had very different experiences and interests than my own. That I only wanted to work in cultures that were respectful and dealt with conversations more professionally. How to work with all kinds of different personalities under difficult circumstances. I am not sure I would have ever realized that I was good at understanding IT logic and programming without the support of one of the people there during that experience. I also learned a lot about business from a financial, sales and research point of view.
As I look back over this list, I realize that I am choosing to see the good that came out of it rather than the bad. I am not sure I would have felt this way after I had just left, but with time and what I know now, I can see the positives. I also believe that all of your experiences (good and bad) help you in some way to prepare you for what you need later in your life. Be open and you will be able to take away some things that will help you.
Working in a culture where there is mutual respect should just be a given. People who work for leaders they respect will learn so much more, have new opportunities to grow their skills and be able to speak up and have an opinion. If you are looking to grow yourself as a leader, then a respectful and empowering culture is key. Working for a leader where there is mutual respect helps you find out who you are as a leader, build your confidence and find your own voice.
Are you working in a culture that is supporting your success? Are there challenges that you have that are causing you a lot of stress? The power of a mastermind is there to help you move forward with the help and support of a group. Would you like to hear more about the Powerful Leadership Mastermind group that is just getting started? We have a few spots left for the group which meets every other week on Tuesday mornings.
The group is led by me and my partner (and cousin) Kim who are both ICF Certified Coaches. We are offering an introductory rate to join and we are looking for people who are motivated to make a change in their personal or professional lives. If you would like to learn more about it and join the group you can click on this link: Powerful Leadership Mastermind or reach out to me.