Had dinner last night with a woman who’s tremendously well-respected in her field, and could probably have her pick of most places to land for a next spot. That’s a super rare commodity — a true A-Player, a purple squirrel — so I asked how she thinks she arrived there. She said something pretty simple that I don’t think a lot of people actively consider, or practice.
1. When you switch into a new role, spend a ton of time learning your boss, their style, their communication, their preferences, and when you can push back on them. This might take 1 month, or 17 months. But once you have all that and know it, you can thrive.
2. Never let your direct boss be blindsided by something. This doesn’t mean you need to like or even respect your direct boss, but never let them be hit on the flank by something. Always be out in front of the bullshit and fire drills.
There are flaws to the above, no doubt, and if you do those things without the right personality, you can be taken advantage of.
Remember: a lot of “C-Players” become “A-Players” in the eyes of decision-makers because they do the above well.
