Be a master of your craft! By Emeka Oparah
Several years ago, in my previous life, I asked my boss, during a feedback session, why he hadn’t fired me.
Why did I ask him that?
Because he had fired some of my colleagues in senior management and it seemed to me that it was only but a matter of time before it was my turn.
Hear what he said after he had a good laugh:
“Emeka, even though I’m an Engineer, I cannot be Chief Engineer here. I can’t be Head of Legal Services or Head of Human Resources, and so on and so forth.
“Of course, I can’t be the Head of Corporate Communications, but the day I start reaching out to and engaging with journalists and media outlets, you’d have to make way for someone else because that’s not my core competency!
“My job as CEO is to get you and your colleagues to do your jobs, give you all the necessary resources and provide leadership”!
The message was crystal clear: Be the Master of your game.
Away from the office, you must have noticed that Messi and Ronaldo are usually the first choices for free kicks and penalties in their respective clubs. At a time, Nigeria’s Jay-Jay Okocha was the man for the spot kicks.
It’s not a mere coincidence of their names or countries of origin, but a result of their proven ability and track record of converting sport kicks to goals. It was all about their mastery of their craft and the deferential treatment they, therefore, got from their coaches and fellow players!
So, here’s the thing: Always aim to be the best in your field. You can achieve this by turning every work situation to a learning opportunity. Then, you must always update your skills by acquiring new certifications or reading books on new ideas or both.
Above all, demonstrate that your are the best in your field by stepping up to the plate whenever your time and talent are needed.
Do not leave anyone in the organization in doubt that you are the go-to person for your subject matter.
Do NOT be noisy but be professionally AUDIBLE and VISIBLE!!!
And please make sure you have a great week !
