Make every interaction count
I have just crossed the 4 years mark at Uber. It has been in many ways a roller coaster ride but one that I would not change for any other. Shortly before joining the company, I participated as a speaker in a big industry event in London. You can check here the medium post I wrote right after the conference. As an introvert, getting out there and sharing my expertise did not come naturally. I knew public speaking was going to help me gain confidence and exposure to continue growing as a Leader. I had previously participated in small industry events as well as increased my social media presence. This large event was in a way a culmination of many efforts. I made it to a big stage and for the first time presented in front of a couple hundred industry leaders. At the time, I was in early conversations with Uber and unsure about my future career prospects.
The day before the conference, I traveled from Amsterdam, landed in the City London airport and headed to the Airbnb I had booked. My host was a brilliant entrepreneur that gave me plenty of tips on pitching, provided me with his views on Uber and the potential upside of joining them and even asked me to practice my presentation with him. Whilst talking in front of a big crew was a personal feat; that one on one conversation with my Airbnb host helped me inform my next career move and gave me the confidence that I needed to step on stage stronger.
Articles, books and big talks provide us with inspiration and knowledge. We can all recognize this drive to amplify reach and influence. Likes, followers, views, publications and how big the stage is are often associated as the best indicators of career success. They can be easily quantified numerically and give us reassurance about what is popular and possibly right. However, one on ones with people we respect and trust are typically the forum we turn to when big decisions are at stake.
Lately and because of social distancing, most of us have increased the number of interactions with smaller groups even if it is most of the time digitally. I have been trying to remind my peers, managers and friends of the things that they told me in confidence and had a positive influence in my life. Whenever someone reminds me of something that I said and helped them, quite often during one on ones, it gives me the highest sense of achievement. I encourage you to be generous and participate in this give and take recognition exercise. Being published or becoming a keynote speaker gives us the stage to amplify our reach. One on one conversations and small group chats, when conducted with care and empathy, build trust and relationships and can be conducive of behavioural transformation and personal growth. Let’s give these smaller forums the importance they deserve and make every interaction count.