Thank you for 4 amazing years, Microsoft!

After 4 years at Microsoft, I have made a big decision to start the next chapter of my career. As I look back, I have had so many amazing opportunities that I could not have even dreamed of – from helping launch Bing’s first commercial endeavor to demoing Microsoft Teams with our CEO, Satya Nadella.

My time at Microsoft has truly been an ongoing learning experience. Coming to Microsoft right out of college, I was intimidated to say the least. I started out as a business planner on Bing & Cortana. My first year included weekly phone calls to my mother in Japan telling her I was going to get fired. Next, I explored relationship marketing for Office 365, working on experiments to increase usage, renewal rates, and brand love. Then, I found my passion for product marketing with Microsoft Teams. I traveled around the world presenting and demoing Teams, working with our customers, and helping raise awareness and usage of Teams. Mind you, I had no experience in any of these marketing functions. But I had amazing managers, teammates, and mentors to help me learn on the job. I will forever be grateful to everyone who took time out of their busy days to help me learn and grow.

As I reflect and prepare for my next adventure, there are 5 learnings I would like to share – learnings that have helped me push myself in my career.

1.   Assume positive intent. When I started my job on Teams, my manager went through his principles on how he leads his team. Assuming positive intent was #1. Work (and life) can get messy – especially when you have high-performers trying to solve tough challenges. Assuming positive intent got me through many moments where there was misalignment or where very direct feedback was given. Assuming everyone is trying to do what’s best for the current situation grounds me and brings things into perspective. Listening and engaging with openness will help you find a resolution. Plus, working together is so much more enjoyable than working in disagreement.

2.   Put in the work and ask for what you want. I have a jewelry dish on my bedside table that says, “fortune favors the bold who get sh*t done” (please excuse the language). As I get ready in the morning, it’s one of the first things I see. If there is something you want to achieve, put in the work. This may require long hours, but if it is something you think is worth your time, go for it. And for the most part, when you put in the work, you will get recognized for it. I admit there are times where I struggle to put in the work. This is when I ask myself “why.” Why am I struggling to get this done? By asking myself this, I can determine if this is where I want to put my energy. If there are other projects that I believe can make a bigger impact, I ask to pursue those goals. Don’t just sit there and do work that you don’t enjoy. Ask for change.

3.   Stay uncomfortable. Every 6 months, I have a career development conversation with my manager. This allows me to reflect on how I have been doing, what I want to continue doing, and gaps I see that I want to address. I also reflect on how “comfortable” I am in the job. In other words, do I feel as if this job is pushing me? Am I learning something new? When I feel as if I am able to do my job comfortably, that is when I ask for a change. I push myself to stay uncomfortable because that means that I am learning and experiencing new things. Change should be welcomed! Don’t be afraid of it, but rather, embrace it.

4.   Set your boundaries. When I first started working, I didn’t know how to say “no.” I took on everything and thought it was proof of incompetence if I couldn’t do it all. One of my biggest learnings in the working world has been that we are all human and can’t do it all. AND that it’s OK. Prioritization and delegation is important. I will pick my battles, determine where I can make the most impact, and decide when it’s ok to say “no.” Be clear with what you want and set expectations. Having the right boundaries in place will help you and whoever is involved navigate the situations you are in.

5.    Be confident and speak up. To do all of the things above, you have to be confident. Have faith in yourself, trust your ideas and opinions, and share them with conviction. Of course, there is a time and a place for everything, but if we don’t speak up if we see something wrong, or if there is a better way to do something, we cannot make progress. If you are struggling with a lack of confidence, ask someone you trust to help you. If I was having trouble in a meeting, I would signal my manager when I wanted to say something. He would help me break into the conversation. There are many tactics you can use to speak up. Even if you don’t feel confident internally, everyone else in the room doesn’t need to know it ;)

These are just a few of my learnings over the past couple of years, and I cannot wait to continue to expand this list in my next adventure. Here is to new challenges and experiences!

To my managers, teammates, colleagues, and mentors: I am honored to have worked with each and every one of you – you have pushed me to ask questions, think differently, and to grow into who I am today (yes… cheesy, but it is true!).

To the Microsoft customer community: Thank you for your support, feedback, and conversations. It has been a pleasure working with you and sharing content with you over the years. You were one of the main reasons why I loved my job so much.

I have been honored to be a part of the Microsoft team. Best of luck and I hope our paths cross again!