Here is the complete transcript of the podcast
Today on the podcast, I’m answering your question about career growth. So if you’re a professional looking for ways and means to grow, then today’s podcast episode is for you. But I also think that the way this episode will go, I think, even if you’re not a professional, and let’s say you have some other challenges you have got going, I think you will get some value from this. So I got a question A while ago, from someone asking about growing up the career ladder and going from an individual contributor to a CTO, like the highest position on that ladder. I get that question. Some different variations of the question, but this was in my inbox for a long time. And finally, on October 26, I answered that question. So it’s, they’re here on the podcast, you can go back to October 26. And listen to that, how, listen to the question and, and kind of see how I approached what I would do to grow the ladder. Now, prior to answering the question, I think this was on October 14, I went on my radio show, and I position this question to all the listeners, you know, if it is what I know, the majority of my listeners are all amazingly accomplished, meaning accomplished, I think all of them are accomplished. But some of them articulate their problems and their solutions better than I can articulate my problem and my solutions. That’s what I think amazing, amazing listener. So, I knew that somebody might be listening and they could answer this question better.
So, I went to the show, and I positioned this question multiple multiple people call them and today I want to specifically play the answer from a listener by the name of Rajiv, he called into the show and he responded to the question, what does it take for somebody to go from being an individual contributor to the highest title highest responsibility in that ladder? And the incredible answer, I want you to listen to this. And when we come back, I have something to add to this. Let’s go to it. Yeah.
Hi, my name is Rajiv and I am a first-time listener, thank you, I was pretty intrigued by your comment Hi. So, I am not in the IT space, but I am in the manufacturing space and to whoever asked you the question they asked all I can say is, I am the vice president of my company. I could say without a doubt that having a good mentor somebody who has achieved success and who could kind of guide you and show you the way helps with surrounding yourself with people who know more than you and who have been around success is I believe one of the topmost ingredients 111 should have a water shortage you know, although I believe to have a lot of good communication skill and people skills, where you can kind of be a good leader you can be anybody can be a good engineer or a worker but to be a good leader. It takes a little bit more than what you learn in college it is it comes down to your character as a person your appetite for risks, your crisis management skill set your communication skill set, and above all you know your people skills and how likable you are as a person. I believe it is I don’t think this can be taught in books by either surrounding yourself with people or doing some reading I guess. Right right. Some people have God-given gifts.
Wonderful, wonderful. Rajiv, My time is running out but I want to make a comment, but I have to make the comment offline Rajeev. So I did make a comment offline toward the end of the show. And here is the comment I made. You see, Rajeev pointed out an incredible thing. We all are a byproduct of the environment. It’s important that we associate ourselves with the right tools, the right information, the right resources, the right skills, and most importantly right people and that is where he calls out a mentor. And as I was answering as I was wrapped Bring up the show, I said, I gave this example of this Japanese fish called Koi, which I have given multiple times on this podcast. There is a fascinating element to this fish Koi, which is if you put it in a small fishbowl, it will grow about three inches. If you put it in a large container or a small pond, it grows up to 10 inches. If you put it in a large pond, it grows up to a foot and a half. And if you put it in a large lake, it can grow up to three feet. So clearly, an individual’s growth is equal to the size of the world that they live in. That they exist. And that world is defined by mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, and financial category area, whatever you want to say unless you do not expand what you are, you will always have what you got. That’s the point I was driving on the show. And I couldn’t get enough time to do it.
So I thought I would respond to that in a different way altogether. Today. As a part of the podcast, I went back and pulled that question from the recording. And I just wanted to make sure that I give the context. And then I wrap up my thought and present this idea in a more meaningful way such that anybody can learn from this not only a professional, as I said at the beginning of the podcast. So the message here, if I had to sum it up is to work on expanding your world. And that includes you have to start thinking it starts with a thought. Then you start expanding your act. You start expanding your accumulation, knowledge information, all that you start expanding your acceleration like literally accelerate, right? And then and then you start also expanding the advancements you’re making just don’t get stale, or just don’t become complacent to everything that you have, and keep trying to advance everything. That’s the summary. That’s the message. Have a wonderful Saturday, this weekend. And I will catch up with you as early as tomorrow, Sunday right here on successfully Srini you have a question for me? All you have to do is call the podcast support line. The number is 888-818-0404. You call and you leave me your question. I promise you, I’m gonna answer it. That’s all for now. You take care of yourself. I’ll talk to you soon. Keep listening.