Significant Career Lesson From a VP Operations at RWS Group
Darrin, VP of Operations at RWS Group, emphasizes the crucial lesson of not taking work setbacks personally, advising that "it's a job," and focusing on problem-solving and implementing corrective actions ("CAPA process") rather than dwelling on mistakes; this approach, learned from a past filing error, has enabled continued career progression and highlights the importance of learning from failures, as "you learn more from your failures than you do from your successes."
Executive/Leadership, Problem-Solving, Resilience, Stress Management, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Darrin Lee
VP Operations
RWS Group
Arizona State University
n/a
Humanities, Political Science, American Studies
Consulting & Related Professional Services, Technology
Operations and Project Management
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Maintaining a professional distinction between work and personal life is crucial for managing stress and preventing burnout. Taking things less personally allows for objective problem-solving and learning from mistakes.
2. Learning from failures is vital for professional growth. Mistakes are inevitable, and the ability to analyze them dispassionately leads to improved processes and prevents recurrence.
3. Seeking mentorship and advice from experienced professionals is invaluable. Darrin's boss and client provided guidance that helped him develop resilience and a more positive approach to setbacks.
Transcript
What is one lesson that you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
The biggest lesson I've learned throughout my career is to not take things personally. It can feel personal, but this is a job. No matter what you're doing, it's a job.
There's life outside of work. We should be working to live, not living to work. While I'm more of a worker bee, when things aren't going right, it's important to accept that things happen.
Something bad can happen, like losing a customer or facing a big challenge. If something goes wrong and costs the company money, it's not personal. You don't take it home, and you don't let it affect you individually.
Figure out what happened from a business standpoint, how to fix it, and how to prevent it from happening again. Put in a proper CAPA process. Tomorrow is a new day with new problems. You will always make mistakes.
Early in my career, I made an incorrect filing. I filed an extension for a company that wasn't ready to file its quarterly earnings, but I filed it for the wrong company. They were both our clients, and I was mortified.
My boss, Bob Tischer, gave me that advice. I did get a talking-to because I didn't do the proper checks. I skipped a step because I was newer.
The client we messed up for also gave me advice. He said, "Darren, don't worry. It's okay. It's not the end of the world. We'll move past this."
It was actually a really good lesson. It's common to say you learn more from failures than successes. It's important not to be afraid of those failures, not to take them personally, and not to let them get to you. Otherwise, you won't move forward.