Most successful people are hardworking, smart, bright, dedicated and a lot of other adjectives. However, they also have one other common factor – someone who pulled them up the ladder.
All the successful ones have a fire in their belly (or was it heart). Now this fire is either naturally lit, kept burning by their own passion or there usually is a third party involved. Success has many factors involved; and one vital catalyst that has led most people to the top was someone who put the idea into their head.
I could call this person a mentor but it isn’t necessary that it’s the same person all through. I will now quote from personal example. In my first organization, I would not have proactively begun to seek out blogs and research related to my field had my colleague not constantly refer to the latest news every now and then. It was the fear of drawing a blank regularly that pushed me to keep myself updated. Then I came across a manager who impressed with my interest in the HR world asked me to work for his team and expand my horizon. Honestly speaking, in the absence of these two catalysts, there is no guarantee that I would have stumbled in this path. Maybe I would have, maybe I wouldn’t.
What’s my point? First, find these people. Find circles that encourage you to explore possibilities that you would not have thought of yourself. They are usually easy to spot if you keep your eyes open. Better still, get them to mentor you. If mentor is too formal a word, make it a point to bump into them often.
On the other side, become one of these people. Don’t let people walk away without encouraging them to think. Interesting discussions are hard to come by. Make the effort to spark these. Do be careful though – there is a danger of slipping over to being annoying.
Lastly, if you are moving up the ladder, take some smart ones along with you. There’s enough room at the top.
The HR Business Partner Story 