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If I Were 22: Being Qualified Doesn’t Entitle You to Success

Home 5 Blogs 5 If I Were 22: Being Qualified Doesn’t Entitle You to Success

If I Were 22: Being Qualified Doesn’t Entitle You to Success

Home 5 Blogs 5 If I Were 22: Being Qualified Doesn’t Entitle You to Success

In this series, professionals share what they’d do differently — and keep the same. Follow the stories here and write your own (please use #IfIWere22 in your post).

George Bernard Shaw (no relation) said…

Youth is wasted on the young.”

As it becomes more and more of a stretch for me to claim youth, I must admit I see the wisdom in Shaw’s words. When I was 22, I hated it when people said, “You need more experience for this role.” I really hated it, but now I realised they were right… I needed more experience to make good decisions. I guess you could see from my jacket and my hair style, in this picture above, to see that my decision making needed improving! 🙂

So if you are 22, here are some of the key things I have learnt that hopefully help you short-circuit the process.

5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Was 22:

#1: Being qualified is good, but it doesn’t entitle you to success.

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure. — Colin Powell, Statesman

I have met many people who believe their qualifications mean the world owes them a living. Well, it doesn’t. Many clever people fail because they choose not to work hard. In my experience, employers want people who do things, not talk about doing things. Success is not just about being clever as measured by a qualification. A key ability is to apply your intelligence to implement things. In other words, having qualifications isn’t enough; you have to use them!

#2: Getting people to do things requires positive reinforcement.

“Properly used, positive reinforcement is extremely powerful. — B. F. Skinner, Psychologist

When it comes to getting most people to do what you want, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Human behavior is driven by many factors, not the least of which is emotional rewards and positive feelings. Negative feedback has its place, of course, but the best motivators tend to be positive. Find ways to give people positive feedback, and you will be surprised how effective a manager you become.

#3: None of us are as clever as all of us.

“Many of us are more capable than some of us… but none of us is as capable as all of us! — Tom Wilson, Cartoonist

At the beginning of my career, I thought it was my job to know everything and make all the decisions. I couldn’t have been more wrong! I learned over time my job is to inspire people, create the work environment culture, and give them room to do their jobs. It’s important to hire people who are smarter than you because they make your team stronger and your organization better. We all learn from each other, and we all bring different strengths to the table. When we put all those together, we can accomplish much more.

#4: Leadership is everything.

“Leadership is doing what is right when no one is watching. — George Van Valkenburg

Leadership is putting your team first and yourself second. Leadership is never asking your team to do something you wouldn’t do. Leadership means recognizing that everyone is equal. I am not their better; I am their equal. I travel the same economy class as the team; I sit in an open office. Leadership is about setting guidance lines, not walls. It’s about accepting people make mistakes. It’s about being transparent and honest. It’s also about being comfortable in your skin, understanding your faults, and trying to minimize them. It’s about encouraging and developing people, watching people blossom and then being pleased when they fly from the nest to better things.

#5: Body language speaks volumes.

“Part of being out there, campaigning, talking to people is being able to read body language. — Gary Johnson, Politician

What you say with your body language is what people often hear first. The self-awareness of one’s body language in social situations can make a huge difference in people remember you. Whether it’s a first impression in a job interview, a keynote speech at an important convention or an interaction with a long-time client, your body language communicates many details about you. Make sure you know what yours is saying.

There are pros and cons to everything. Part of me wants to be young again, but not if I have to go back to the skills and knowledge I had at the time. I want to know what I know now and use it back then. Alas, it is not to be for me. However, if you are young, I hope you heed these words and use them to your advantage. They have taken me 57 years to discover, I hope they give you the edge I didn’t have at your age.

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Colin Shaw is the founder and CEO of Beyond Philosophy, one of the world’s first organizations devoted to customer experience. Colin is an international author of four bestselling books and an engaging keynote speaker.

Follow Colin Shaw on Twitter @ColinShaw_CX