Balling Onward: Athlete To Successful Business Person

Understanding how our fear to speak up can hold us back, the importance of growing past rejection, and forgetting what we thought we couldn’t do…

It’s been a year since I walked the stage to receive my PhD in higher education. I sit and reflect on the journey I was on prior to getting my PhD and the journey I have been on following. My professional career as a management consultant allows me to expand in so many ways, but I would not be able to do so if I had created an imaginary box, which I think so many of us create for ourselves unintentionally. So, before I get into my journey and what I have learned about how to be intentional about not boxing myself in, I want to share what I have noticed recently. I have read a lot about how we all need to take that “leap of faith” and risk it all to work in a field that fuels us. I am sure that part of the reason a lot of folks are speaking this way is due to this crazy, unprecedented year we have had. If you read my last blog, “Energize What Fuels You,” you would know I, too, agree with that…to some extent. I do think, however, that the first thing we need to do as professionals is be patient enough to evaluate what we would like to do and most importantly, not be afraid to communicate what we want to do.

Here is an example of how I have been able to exercise what I just now named, “Silently and patiently planning for our opportunity to communicate.” This may sound confusing, but I promise after I explain more, it will make more since lol. Pre-doctorate, I was working in the education field. That was and still is my passion. I was working at a university when I first started my doctorate degree and closer to the end of my PhD journey, was working in the central office of a K-12 school district. When I ended my PhD journey, this time last year, I was working for a large Tech consulting firm. 

Throughout my journey, I have learned a few things that may help you, too; not to waste time, outside of the box thinking, speaking up, “sharing up,” and being patient. “N.O.S.S.B.?” (lol) Let me expand:

NO WASTED TIME

Never consider any experience you get on the way to where you want to be, a “Waste of time”

I took something away from each role I have been in and have been able to articulate how what I have done in my past is relevant to the current opportunity I am seeking.

OUTSIDE THE BOX

Constantly think outside of the box

For example, at one point I was working for a large financial system where I was tasked with helping different units with completing their budget needs by the end of the fiscal year. I had no plan or desire to work in finance at all. However, that is just how it worked out. In this change management role, I needed to find ways to strategically help each unit in a short amount of time to accurately close their books. I used my experience with strategy to discover what hurdles the departments were facing first and put those hurdles into buckets (or themes). I then started to strategize on how to help solve the issues, one bucket at a time. The units I worked with closed by the end of the fiscal year, which was a win for us. My next role was not in finance and the end goal was completely different. However, what was the same was that the organization needed to uncover what was holding them up. The same user-centered approach I used with my last client, was able to be leveraged at the new one. See what I mean? 😉

SPEAK UP

When an idea makes you excited, speak up about it. Nobody can read our minds. [New year resolution: “I will be vocal”]

I strongly believe in following your intuition in life and in work. When something seems like the best opportunity to finally speak up and share a great idea, more times than not, it is! Besides, the worst thing that can happen is that they don’t feel like it is a good idea and if that is the case, put it back in your back pocket and keep it ready for the next person who may think otherwise.

SHARE UP, LITERALLY

A person is never too high up in their position or status to simply have a conversation

Far too often, we let fear of rejection deter us from talking to the one person who would be so interested in our great idea(s) that they just may open some doors for us. Trust me, I know, as a former athlete myself how it feels to want to compete so much, that you develop the “Watch me prove them wrong” mentality. But, most people who are in the position that they are in, even those who are at the highest of positions and powers, were given an opportunity by someone else. It is very hard to move up the chain of power by yourself. Besides, the people who are in the highest positions are not there because they are mind readers. They will not know anything about you unless you tell them about you.

If we stop questioning what could possibly happen at the next step before taking that step first, we will let someone else walk through the door of opportunity before us.

BE PATIENT

Be patient, an unexpected opportunity is around the corner

Earlier in my professional career, I worked with an inclusion and diversity department and focused on making opportunities available for underserved student groups through development and execution of inclusion and diversity initiatives. This was literally the most fulfilling position I had ever been in, mainly because I was able to make an impactful difference. About 3 months before moving into my current role, I texted my mentor a screenshot of Jason Wright, a former McKinsey consulting employee and former athlete. In his role with McKinsey, Jason was responsible for helping CFOs, officers and other leads to make change in public and private higher education space, government space, and in industrial companies to make large-scale transformations. While in that role, he also worked towards closing the racial wealth gap. Jason Wright was recently granted the position of NFL’s Washington football team president. He was the first Black president of an NFL team. I was so inspired by his story and resonated with so much of the work that he was committed to as a professional.

Not long after sending that screenshot I shared with my mentor, I was given the responsibility of working again in the I&D space. Leading up to this moment, I had practiced the above listed components of “NOSSB.” Essentially, my desires to work in this space again came back full circle and I was able to use what I have learned along the way. NOTHING and NO TIME was wasted. Patience for me has been key.

I am in no way an expert and I am sure that I have many mistakes to learn from as a professional. I am also almost positive that as opportunities continue to present themselves, I will be in more situations where I am not the most experienced, not the smartest, not the most creative. However, I strongly believe that our journeys change constantly, and a new story from learned experiences can always be told. So why not share with someone who may be able to benefit or for whom my story resonates :-).

Thanks for reading! Be happy! Be safe!