Tips to make your contributions to corporations solider

Eight years ago, my life was about to face a major change: corporate world. Since, 2013, have been working with pharmaceutical companies, helping to improve patient access to more modern and more effective technologies. Besides being a delightful purpose to pursue, this journey has changed the way I understand how my skills can be put to the service of everything I interact to, but far beyond that, to the service of society.

Just as a quick context, I had the privilege to witness healthcare from many of its perspectives, such as patient, as healthcare professional, as government official, as private healthcare manager and currently as innovation industry executive. This wide view allows me to consider many variables prior to taking impactful decisions, and it makes me proud to tell people some real-life stories, which can enrich and accelerate their apprenticeship to become more resilient, more perseverant, and consequently, more successful.

When I have the chance to keep some free conversations, professionals seek advice on specific topics, like how to navigate within the corporation, how to better communicate, how to become more influential, how to gather minds to address a priority on a best potential manner. Or even how to have their work acknowledged by the organization.

Well, I believe education is the primary answer to solve all those inquiries. Many leaders today focus on results, which is perfectly right, although they might not dedicate enough time to people development. Life is worth for what we spread, for the knowledge we disseminate, rather than for what we accumulate.

Due to these demands - seeing them as intellectual provocation - I thought about writing an article. Perhaps share some stories. Writing at LinkedIn is a great responsibility. After some hesitation, decided to take some action. One of my former manager used to tell everybody "make it happen" on an encouraging manner.

Thus, this article - my very first - aims not only to express my appreciation for the working environment which I proudly help to shape everyday, but also to share some of my stories, helping those who are starting to build the future of organizations, as well as their own lives.

Lesson #1: A boy who is bright, refrain from doing his job twice

I will start with an outlier. It came much earlier than any corporate exposure. This was one of my first teachings in life. By the time I was a little boy, maybe 7 or so, mostly during weekends, my father used to ask me for help, while he needed an extra hand on fixing common house objects, such as a blender, a radio, a door knob, a computer, etc. As an engineer, he enjoyed to disassemble his motorcycle or car engine, checking proactively for potential malfunctions or even installing upgrades.

Whenever called for the duty, not rarely I showed him a frown, because I wanted to keep playing. So, I helped, although not putting my soul into it, and looking forward to go back to my entertainment. Since many times he had to weld some pieces together, and my help was not even "ok", we had to repeat the task.

He used to say, right after dealing with the problem, on a very calming and yet compelling voice: "son, avoid doing the same duty over and over again. People who do their jobs under no goodwill, will inevitably do it at least twice. The first one with less diligence, on the second one, the need will impose you to frame it thoroughly. Save yourself some time, do it right, right from start."

I hated to admit, as a kid, but he was accurate. As the years went by, this lesson - simple and quite straightforward - was kept with affection in the back of my head, deeply impacting my life until the present.

Furthermore, it also contains an underlying notion of how to better deal with time. I want to highlight that time is the scarcest resource we will encounter. Top level minds and top level organizations generally treat time very carefully, because sometimes, it could be more valuable than capital itself. One could even recoup his/her capital investments along the way, but time, my dear, time is irrevocable and irrecoverable. So, treat it accordingly!

Lesson #2: Success does not happen by accident

One of the most cherished moments at professional carer is hearing stories from professionals much senior than myself. Since they are so much appreciated, let me share one real story with you, dear reader.

Once upon a time, right at the beginning of my corporate career, I was with a former manager - a highly ranked chairman - arriving at a restaurant, where we soon would meet some decision-makers. He asked me: "Scattolini, how does the table-plan look like?".

I had no idea to what he was referring, whatsoever. So, I asked the ultimate question - to what everybody is familiar -, repeating very slowly his last words, gaining some seconds to think: "Table-plan?". "Yes, table-plan", he quickly replied.

I apologized, not understanding what he meant by table plan. He explained, in order to increase interactions between people from two institutions, we should have counted on a map, representing the distribution of professionals around the table, in a certain way conversations would be favored. The most relevant professionals to that occasion would seat in the central part of the table, whereas other team members, from both institutions, would be strategically interpolated. Voici a table-plan.

Subsequently, I blamed myself. How could I not know what was a table-plan? Emotions aside, the fact was, guilt was not helpful to growth. I keep this in my heart: it is not shameful not to know something, what is shameful, instead, is not willing to learn.

Whenever facing a new concept or demand, quickly incorporate them to you routine. Get rid of blame, it will not take you anywhere. Emotions must be soothed so you can better take advantage of your skills. This is what is broadly called emotional intelligence.

. . .

Another story. It sounds obvious, but not all professionals invest on preparation. Let us appraise this following case.

I was interviewing a candidate for an advocacy manager position. After formal introductions, he started outlining his graduation, sharing previous job experience. At a certain point, I asked what were his contributions to previous company. I meant, by that, give him some space to tell a success story, so he could drag me into his narrative, while I would pay special attention on how he communicated.

Striking storytelling. Short phrases, clear messaging, good content, healthy pace of talk. Fluid body language. He was the project leader, about which he has boasted. Liked very much how he put a background of problematic to suitably frame, afterwards, his interventions and impact.

So far, so good. Asked what kind of impact the project had. As such, he could perfectly tie the classic triad: context, intervention, impact. Bingo! He would soon join us. Suddenly, he halted. "Hum....well...this project was put on hold, due to inconsistencies, because the scope was wrong".

I though a lot about this candidate, he surely was a good person and worker, but clearly did not receive any guidance for mastering these occasions, neither could he prepare adequately for it.

Prior to any interview, firstly, ask yourself how that job position would help the company, your career and society to grow sustainably. Only if it makes sense, apply for it.

Then, prepare a spreadsheet containing graduation highlights, your main skills, how were your challenges and goals on each company, how have you designed and implemented strategies, how ultimately you have converted them into results. Pay special attention to the impact of everything you have delivered. How you managed to create advocates inside and outside the organization, and whether or not, you have served as an asset to current and future company status.

Ask yourself what would be the most likely questions the interviewer will make. Prepare yourself for different scenarios: for a more technical or business-driven conversation. Formulate clear rationale for short and long interviews, too.

Always aim for a more formal situation, in terms of language and dressing code, because it is easier to step down if necessary. The opposite it is not precisely true.

During the interview, share very briefly your origins and background prior to professional content. If there is room for brief stories, please share them. They can offer an opportunity to identify common point-of-views, emotional bridges, and make two people to connect. To click, I would dare to say.

Another important recommendation: avoid contentious or controversial topics. Always and at all cost. This piece of advice seems pretty obvious, but many candidates do not strictly follow it.

Although one might face interviews as frightening moments, they are simply a window to showcase skills and valuable contributions to a company.

Highlight during the conversation what you will bring to the company nobody else could. Your differentials. It is your moment to glow and expand your reach. There is a sweet spot, lying between humbleness and arrogance, where the interviewer could quickly identify your qualities and you could join a new team.

Considering a scenario where you were not chosen, call for a feedback. It can make you identify areas or blindsides where you could improve. Invest some time to acknowledge and thank everyone who gave you the chance to participate as a candidate on a selective process. Success is also made of some hiccups and setbacks.

As a bottom line, the more you can anticipate and prepare yourself for the future you want to build, the better. By the time I was a kid, I thought there were people with luck and other with none. Now, I see most successful people and organizations are those who have clear ambitions and actively work for them to happen.

Success does not happen by accident, it comes after a lot of effort, discipline, dedication, and investment.

Lesson # 3: Be agile, but be careful and patient as well

You might have heard this message repeatedly. You might even come to a conclusion that agility equals speed, automatically. Not always, and not necessarily.

In fact, it is assuring to the companies that the decision making process - either strategy design or implementation - have to be contemporary, timely and opportune. This means that relevant decisions are brought to light with proper discussion, diligent risk prospecting, also conferring suitable aligning with internal stakeholders.

The traditional matrix for addressing topics on an agile way is relevance vs urgency. For the team I work, I try to provoke this appraisal under a third axis: for how long will this topic be relevant and urgent? Beyond that, for how long this intervention would sustain or develop our business model? From this prism, decision making process is eased.

. . .

I have witnessed countless times, meetings where professionals did not communicate properly prior to a critical meeting. What happens is, "agility" is respected, at the expense of friction. The more we have a long lasting relationships, more careful we have to be on better communicating and promoting a healthy working environment.

Since we have learned that agility does not mean checking all your to-dos in a hurry, or throwing a burning topic right at the middle of a round table, let us pay special attention to how communication is a watershed, dividing the realms of relief or tension.

Just as an example: if I had something to present at the board, and it is crystal clear that is necessary, and mostly it is an accountability from one single area - the area I serve - there might be no need to prior alignment to each and every peer.

Distinctly, if the subject is somehow bright new, or if resources from other areas would be demanded, I think it is salutary to capture insights from different perspectives, and, in parallel, to build internal alliances prior to the decision-making meeting. Thus, buy-ins for for the proposal approval would be more natural. It honors agility. This is where thorough and patient approach is mandatory, for the sake of a health working environment.

Besides, it represents a nice opportunity to bring some exposure throughout the company, at local, regional or global level. At the best scenario, 1:1 conversations might bring us more humanity into working environment, and even some new friends to our lives.

Please do let me know your feedback on this text. If you are willing to read or discuss more on any specific subject regarding corporate mindset, I encourage you to leave it at the comment section.

I appreciate the kindness and thorough support from Juliane Zache, a very competent and inspiring colleague.