Co-living the entrepreneurial and corporate consulting worlds is interesting, to say the least. For the most part, they are of great contrast to each other. The “path”, type of risk and uncertainty, the organizational structure, the working environment, and the activities and tasks are all quite different. Sometimes it’s almost like I’d have to adjust two switches in my head in order to operate appropriately. But as I was reflecting on what I’ve learned over the past year, sure, there were some industry-specific knowledge, some communication and management skills, some technical ability — excel and a little bit of Ruby on Rails… but what I had realized is that most importantly, both experiences have ingrained the value of never saying: I can’t.
Both jobs require hard work and a rather tough lifestyle — that’s just been inevitable. But with the right incentives / motivational factors in place — the learning journey, amazing teammates, sense of responsibility or compensation —- I have been able to stick it out time after time. What I can extract from those moments is not just fatigue, but a proof of my capabilities. And I cross-apply that proof between Probity and consulting work to further push myself forward.
Sometimes, I feel as if I have internalized the Probity team. When I’m awake at 4am on Mondays or working until 2am in a hotel business lounge, there are days when I just want to complain. And then I’d have to wake up at 5:30am the next day? I can’t do this… But then I’d think to myself, “What would Probity say?” I bet Neal, Mike and Claire have been working late as well. I might even be receiving emails from them at those hours. And the daily 7:30am calls? Or I’d think about the times when we’d have Probity or Code Academy meetings until 3am. It really isn’t that hard, is it? I’ve been able to pull it off too. I can almost hear them saying, “Why not?”
And it’s a similar situation when we decide to have a Probity / Code Academy meeting after a long day of work for me, and my initial reaction is always — “Really?!” Then I’d think about all the late nights I have during the week, where we go back to work after a late dinner.
I’ve done it before. I know I can.
Consulting is also a unique industry – where they focus on hiring smart people and not necessarily those who come with pre-loaded skills. They want individuals who are structured yet adaptive, and trust that all additional “skills” can be acquired along the way. So when you’re on a project, the expectation of “can” was never there, but there is the assumption that you will learn whatever skills needed over the next couple of days or weeks. You are allowed to say “I don’t know…yet” or even ask a few stupid questions along the way, but there is no shrugging off of the responsibility. It just needs to get done, no matter how long it takes.
About that financial model? I was completely overwhelmed when I was first given the task — I didn’t have a finance background or even the excel skills. But I researched, incorporated feedback, reiterated and learned.
It also helps me to think about something that I had read up on recently from an HBS article — think not only about what you like or best at, but what your organization needs from you. I want to be able to be there when I’m needed.
And so I come out of it knowing that I can.
I may not have truly mastered the value yet. As one may have observed, I still have to rely on some virtual external ruler to derive what I can or cannot do. But this acquired mindset has indubitably empowered me to do so much more than I thought I was capable of over the past year. And I’m happy to look back and realize that I am a stronger person today.