Significant Career Lesson From a Program/Project Manager at Accenture
Steven, a Program/Project Manager at Accenture, learned the crucial lesson of thorough preparation through a past experience of being unprepared for a client interaction, resulting in a negative experience. This led Steven to prioritize "being prepared, be forward looking," planning ahead to anticipate challenges and confidently articulate a path to finding answers even when initially uncertain.
Project Management, Communication, Problem-Solving, Overcoming Challenges, Preparation
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Steven Smith
Program/Project Manager
Accenture
University of Georgia, 2017
University of California, Los Angeles & M.B.A
Finance
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Operations and Project Management
Pell Grant Recipient, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Proactive preparation is crucial, especially in consulting where clients expect you to find solutions even if you don't know them initially.
2. Always plan ahead to anticipate challenges and be organized in your approach.
3. It's okay to admit you don't know the answer, as long as you can articulate how and when you will find it
Transcript
What is one lesson that you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
One of the best lessons I've learned came through a failure or a lack of preparation on my part. It only happened once, and from then on, I excelled.
Being organized and prepared is especially important as a consultant. Clients understand that you don't have all the answers, but they expect you to know where to find them or how to figure them out.
My biggest lesson learned was when I wasn't prepared for a client interaction. I didn't have the right answer and wasn't sure where to find it. After a long day, the client really let me have it.
From that experience, I learned that I need to be prepared and forward-looking. This means planning my days and weeks ahead to anticipate challenges.
Being prepared and knowing I can find the answer, even if I don't have it immediately, was a huge lesson learned for me. As long as I can articulate that I know where to find it and can find it in a timely manner, that's what matters.