Significant Career Lesson from a Vice President of Marketing at Old Pal
Katie, Vice President of Marketing at Old Pal, emphasizes the importance of respectful interpersonal interactions, stating that "how you carry yourself day to day and the respect that you show for people" significantly impacts career success. This approach, even when delivering critical feedback, fosters positive working relationships and ultimately elevates individuals above even the most technically skilled but less collaborative colleagues, leading to greater long-term success.
Communication, Teamwork, Respect, Leadership, Interpersonal Skills
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Katie Skinner
Vice President of Marketing
Old Pal
Georgetown University, 2013
N/A
English
Cannabis
Communication and Marketing
Scholarship Recipient, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Treat colleagues with respect: How you interact with others significantly impacts your career. Building positive relationships and showing kindness, even during difficult conversations, is crucial for success.
2. Effective communication is key: The ability to communicate directly and respectfully, even when providing critical feedback, is essential for navigating workplace dynamics and building strong professional relationships.
3. Professional relationships have a domino effect: Your actions and how you treat people have lasting consequences. Positive relationships can lead to future opportunities and collaborations, while negative interactions can hinder career advancement.
Transcript
I think a lesson I've learned in my career that I think about a lot is honestly just the way that you treat other people you're working with.
That can sound super basic and like a soft answer, but I really do think it's true. It's about how you carry yourself day to day and the respect you show for people on your team.
Being a direct communicator doesn't mean you're not being a good person or showing kindness. There's a lot of overlap in people you'll cross paths with down the line. You never know who could be a potential partner or someone you work with later.
I've seen in my career people who have performed really well but have had a bad attitude, haven't been team players, or make a point of not getting along with people. Again, it seems like a basic tenant of human behavior, but being respectful and always leading with that, even during tough conversations or when providing critical feedback, matters.
How you treat people and the way you get along with personalities very different from your own is always recognized. Those people are always elevated in the workplace.
Being respectful, communicating successfully with others, and working with different personalities is incredibly beneficial within that workplace and for people you'll cross paths with later. Our actions really do have a domino effect.
I've learned that people who lead with respect and are kind and get along with lots of different personalities are more successful than someone who is a perfect performer. If you're not able to communicate effectively and respectfully, or you can't get along with people and are constantly undermining, those people do get left behind.
It might sound basic, but I do think that's important to keep in mind.