Being in “Corporate America” for almost 30 years does leave some scars…I have some marks to prove that. However, I would NOT edit that experience for all the money in the world…I’m serious. During my time with some major companies within the healthcare sector I literally use to keep a religious journal to track my trying times just to keep me sane. I am by nature a very competitive person I DO NOT LIKE TO LOSE, but this mentality while attractive to some is not healthy when the environment you’re in ensures you better NOT LOSE. All of my positions in corporate America related to sales so the pressure to succeed was not unusual what I wasn’t prepared to deal with were “AMBIGUITY”. Years ago it was explained to me by a mentor that as I move through my career it would come a time when your performance won’t matter…WHAT??? What do you mean my performance won’t matter, I thought our lives were built on our ability to succeed? This didn’t make any sense to me until I gradually moved up the proverbial “Food Chain” and then the s*** hit the fan. Not drinking after hours with people was bad karma, not golfing with the right people was seen as negative, and FOCUSING ON YOUR JOB was career suicide. It’s that old song “My mother told me there would be days like this”, my mother really told me that at some point in my life my ability to overcome obstacles not of my doing (and yes some of that is due to the color of my skin) would be the true sign of my success…not in monetary tangibles but in “mental tangibles”. Yes, the battle scars of having gone through the “AMBIGUITY” wars of corporate America has strengthen my resolve but importantly helped me realize that this world is not about me it’s about how I can help others learn from my experiences. At the beginning of this passage I said I would not change anything about my time in corporate America and I stick by that because now I’m an effective “Person” who has helped many people since that time and quite frankly that would not have happen had I not gone through those experiences.
Through hardships and ambiguity…comes a
“Servant” who just wants to help!!
Don’t miss my show tomorrow night (Tuesday Jan 31st 7pm EST): “Why Do Leaders Fail…at managing CRISIS” 01/31 by The Sales Professional Network | Talk Radio: http://bit.ly/znLTap (click on the link for details)
By Andre’ Harrell (CEO AH2 & Beyond)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/aharrell2000
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sales-Marketing-Management-Consulting/267898536570725
AH2 & Beyond Consulting 