Significant Career Lesson From A Marketing Manager At Precision Construction Services
Michalene's significant career lesson centers on embracing failure as a learning opportunity: "everybody wants to…have the best possible outcome," but setbacks are inevitable, and "even when it's not great, just remember you're learning something." This understanding, shaped by a harsh early editorial experience, informed Michalene's later leadership style as an editor, prioritizing collaborative feedback over public humiliation to foster trust and improve work quality.
Overcoming Challenges, Resilience, Communication, Leadership, Motivation
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Michalene Busico
Marketing Manager
Precision Construction Services
Pomona College, Claremont, CA and University of California, Irvine
N/A
English, Writing & Education, English
Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Communication and Marketing
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Learning from mistakes is crucial for career growth. Even negative experiences, such as public criticism, provide opportunities for improvement and skill development.
2. Maintaining composure and professionalism when receiving constructive criticism is essential. Focus on understanding the feedback and using it to improve future performance.
3. Leading with empathy and understanding as a manager fosters trust and collaboration, even when delivering difficult feedback. Avoid public humiliation and provide constructive criticism privately to build positive working relationships and productivity.
Transcript
What is one lesson that you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
We all fear failure. Everyone wants to do a great job and achieve the best possible outcome, no matter the task. However, it doesn't always work out that way.
Especially when you're first starting out, you have a lot to learn. Recognize that you are truly there to learn and, of course, to do your job. But in the beginning, learning is almost more important.
As you learn and produce your work, sometimes it won't go well. The way this is managed has a huge range. You'll see people trying their best and making an honest effort, but it doesn't quite work. They'll explain why, you'll learn, and you'll move forward.
I had one editor who was, well, like a humiliating editor. It was a terrible experience. In the middle of a newsroom, they were loudly tearing an article apart. And legitimately, by the way, these were not random comments, but things I wanted to learn from.
The way I coped was I stayed calm, I listened, and I promised myself I wouldn't make that particular mistake again. Whatever the mistake was, I wasn't going to repeat it. I would likely make others, and I'm sure I did.
But it helped me to reframe it. I tuned out the public, humiliating aspect and focused on what I could do better. I also learned that as I moved forward and became an editor myself, with dozens of people reporting to me, I never did that kind of edit publicly.
I wouldn't even put notes in a version of the story on a public part of the server where others could see it. I wanted people to remain open and collaborative, trusting that I could help them improve their work. I think how I handled writers in difficult situations was a big part of my success as an editor.
Even when things aren't great, remember you're learning something. Even if it's not the lesson they intend, you truly are learning.