Power Broking — the path less taken..
If you’ve worked in India, you know to get somewhere you need to know someone. However, to reach the top, you need to know the right someone and form a network that has your back. Being in business school teaches me everyday, how essential a good network is and how that one successful cold call can help with reaching your destination.
We’ve all heard about Ratan Tata’s hand picked executive assistant, Shantanu Naidu, graduate from the crème de la creme institution, who’s probably going to get the right exposure, connections and experience working for the business magnet and who knows maybe inherit all of what’s out there.
What’s “Power Broking” and “Why do we like it?”
I had a boss at work, who would tell me that whatever you do, be nice to the Leadership team’s EAs. They are the ones who will open doors for you. And 5 years later, speaking with people from my network I see people leaving their “Head of XYZ” position to become “Executive Assistant” to the President of a Fortune500 company. Now the first EA role and the “Executive Assistant” to the President salary might not be the same, but the role they play in “power broking” is exactly the same.
These Executive Assistants, are making the right connections and getting the exact experience they will need in the future to become excellent leaders in an org or when they start their own companies.
To be honest, as I’m writing this I think I’ve persuaded myself of the next opportunity to go for, so if you are a recruiter reading this, please reach out and we’ll connect. And if you’re not, then please continue reading :)
How to get there?
Now back to Shantanu’s story, how did he land that coveted role of Ratan Tata’s confidante.
The first step was just stepping out of the comfort zone — you think it’d be an easy step, but knowing that more often than not there’s rejection out there, makes this first step harder than you think. Shantanu wrote to Ratan Tata about the product he had created for stray dogs, so that they could be spotted by their shiny collar, before a car ran over them. Now how many of us can write an empathetic email to the CEO of a large conglomerate? Putting yourself out there isn’t easy, but once you take the leap, it’ll all be worth it.
Being prepared to give more than you take — Over the past few years in school and work I’ve experienced that in the early 20s, people tend to be transactional. It’s a logical thing to do, and it’s again a broke college student’s go to option, but at times being open to offering a helping hand to your business school batchmate, who you never know could become the CEO of a fortune500 company 20 years down the line, goes a long way. Chances are that that batchmate will remember this one favour you did for him, rather than what a bright student you were to compete with in business school.
Then there’s persistence, half the work is just showing up everyday. It’s easier said than done. Definitely something I’m working on at the moment. Many think getting ahead is about luck or intelligence, but from hearing success stories, I can assure you — it’s all about doing that one thing that you want everyday. I am working towards my CFA qualification, and I hear people complain about how challenging the material is, and I honestly disagree, I think it’s about picking up the material everyday and sitting with it for 300 hours over a period of 6 months.
What’s next for you?
Reach out to your mentor, someone you look up to, someone who you might not be comfortable talking to, and who knows you might be get the experience of a lifetime…
