Significant Career Lesson From A Director Of Development At GridStor
Two key lessons shaped Matthew's career: first, learning that "I am not my projects," separating personal worth from project outcomes; and second, the crucial importance of slowing down to prioritize quality over speed, a lesson learned early and now shared with others, emphasizing that "focus on quality" is key to success.
Project Management, Communication, Resilience, Overcoming Challenges, Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Matthew Gilliland
Director of Development
GridStor
UC Santa Barbara
UCLA Anderson MBA
Environmental & Related Sciences
Energy & Utilities
Operations and Project Management
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Separating your self-worth from project outcomes: Learning to understand that project setbacks aren't necessarily a reflection of your abilities is crucial for maintaining a healthy perspective and avoiding burnout.
2. Prioritizing quality over speed: Early in his career, Matthew learned the importance of slowing down to focus on quality work and effective communication, a lesson he continues to share with newer professionals.
3. Effective communication and time management: Communicating realistic timelines and focusing on quality are key skills for success, not just in software development but in most professional fields. This highlights the value of soft skills in career advancement.
Transcript
What is one lesson that you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
There are a few lessons that stand out to me. The recent one I've been working through in my current role is that I am not my projects. Sometimes projects may not go well, for reasons beyond your control, which I've spoken to as one of the challenges of the role.
This is not necessarily a reflection of my performance or quality as an individual or as a developer. You can never really fully get away from that because you put so much of yourself into your projects. But it's an important mindset change that I've been working through.
I'll share a lesson that was influential early on in my career and has stuck with me: slow down. When I was starting out, I felt I needed to get things done as quickly as possible to show I was efficient and delivering for people higher up in my organization. I thought this was how I would stand out and get promoted.
I turned in what was probably a pretty average quality report one day, and my principal at my consulting firm called me into his office and said, "This is some of the worst work I've ever seen you do. I think you rushed it." He talked me through the importance of slowing down and focusing on quality, and communicating, "This is how much time I need to get this done."
That was an important soft skill for being successful in my career, and I find myself training a lot of young folks on the same thing. It just takes time to internalize that you're okay, and you're not going to lose your job. Focus on quality. That's been a good lesson I've carried through my career as well.