7 minute read
CAREERS AND EDUCATION
Five ways humility can help you get ahead in your career
When we think of traits that successful people typically exhibit, many come to mind – including technical prowess, communication and interpersonal skills, charisma, enthusiasm and vision. But one important factor is often overlooked: humility.
Humility is derived from the Latin ‘humilitas’, meaning ‘from the earth’. Since ancient times, it has been considered a primary virtue, and rightly so.
Humility is not only associated with work engagement, effective commitment and enhanced job performance, it also empowers the climate in the entire organization.
Here are five proven ways to show humility at work, increase your productivity and contribute to positive company culture.
1Be open to feedback Accepting all kinds of feedback including constructive or negative feedback can help you grow in your role, enhance your skill set and help you work better with others. A sure sign of humility is accepting the feedback you’re given with appreciation and respect for the person providing it to you, irrespective of the source it came from — a colleague, superior or a client. This also demonstrates that you take their feedback seriously. People like to work with humble people who value their opinions rather than ignore or dismiss them.
When you are humble, you are ready to take others’ input to ensure that you have all the facts and can make the right decisions.
2Admit your mistakes As humans, we are prone to make mistakes. Acknowledging the mistakes you make or that your team made for whatever reason is a sign of maturity and humility.
The instant you become comfortable with admitting the mistakes you’ve made, you can help others feel fine with doing the same. This leads to a more open work environment where everyone can feel supported by their teammates. By showing a willingness to share your own faults and demonstrating how you dealt with and recovered from them, you earn your team’s trust.
3Ask others for help In a typical workplace with multiple personalities, there are usually varying perspectives on any given day. It’s important that you recognize this and be willing to ask others for help with a task or project if the need arises. They may be able to share ideas that can differ from your own.
This also demonstrates that you value their opinion and appreciate the insights they offer. Humility is knowing that you may not have all the answers at all times.
4Actively listen to others before commenting When you actively listen to others, including your customers, your co-workers and the management, you’re letting everyone know that you genuinely recognize their opinion and are ready to hear their point of view.
To demonstrate that you listen in a humble manner, maintain eye contact, be expressive, open and accommodating.
5Be open to asking questions Humble people acknowledge their limitations and strengths and, at the same time, appreciate others’ strengths and contributions. Without letting their ego get in the way, they maintain an open mind and a desire to continuously learn from others.
A humble person acknowledges that the thoughts and opinions of others are equally important as their insights can eliminate many of the blind spots you may possess. Acknowledging your ignorance of the subject matter and seeking feedback and asking questions always pays off in the long run.
In conclusion, there are many benefits of being humble in life. Especially in the workplace, it can lead to increased productivity, business success, higher satisfaction and morale, increased loyalty and overall stronger professional relationships. To quote Rick Warren, the author of The Purpose Driven Life: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is thinking more of others.”
Murali Murthy is an acclaimed public speaker, life coach and best-selling author of The ACE Principle, The ACE Awakening, The ACE Abundance and You Are HIRED! He is also chairperson of CAMP Networking Canada. Learn how he can help unlock your magic at unleashyourwow.com.
Should you go to college or university?
If you are undecided between college and university, it is understandable because there are a significant number of factors to consider. For instance, predicting the direction of work is challenging. How will technology impact jobs? Which careers will disappear and what new careers will emerge? How can you prepare for future work? Is a university education still worth your time or will the job-ready focus of a community college program serve you best? You probably have your own thoughts on this, but here are some things to consider.
Advantages of going to university
University can provide a broad education that you may find useful for the rest of your life. You may learn how to be critical in your thinking, and how to research and write effectively. There may be subject areas that you find you want to learn more about pursuing in school and on your own. Many students find that the university curriculum is useful in discovering broader perspectives and ideas.
University is also preparation for professional degrees. Some programs may offer direct entry into the first year such as engineering, and others admit students after a few years of studying or completing a first degree, such as law or medicine. An undergraduate degree is a requirement for a master's degree in a related field or one that is more interdisciplinary, such as public or business administration. If you are sure you want to go to university and need additional credits or skills, you might consider adult learning through the school boards or a college program.
If eventually your chosen field of work becomes redundant or you want to change career direction, a university degree is a way of telling future employers that you are able to learn, apply yourself and have made an investment in your abilities. It can also help you keep track of things that you found interesting and may be able to build on as life takes its twist and turns.
Reasons to pursue a college education
If you know what you want to do for a living and specific skills and credentials are needed, college may be a good approach. While some colleges offer four-year applied bachelor’s degrees, their programs tend to be focused on skills-based learning. College programs usually have a component of on-the-job learning, which helps develop your skills and build contacts when you are looking for work. Apprenticeship programs and pre-apprenticeships may also start in college.
If your spoken and/or written language skills are weak, you might attend college where both can improve. This is also true for math and science courses offered through academic upgrading or bridging programs. It is a place where you can prove your abilities if you don’t have any Canadian experience or if you have an inadequate high school record.
College may be a better choice if you need to work relatively quickly or have limited funds. Most college programs tend to be shorter and less expensive than university and this may be important for those who know they don’t have much time or energy to devote, or cannot afford post-secondary studies for a longer duration.
Other options
It is getting easier to move between college and university. Colleges have advanced standing and specific programs for students with university credits or a degree, and some universities recognize college diplomas toward their degree credits. It also helps to maintain good grades when credits need to be evaluated.
If you already have a university degree and are looking for a career change, you might look at the diploma and certificate programs at colleges. You may consider a one-year post-graduate certificate focused on helping you acquire specific job skills and experience.
The process of exploring whether to go to college or university can be difficult and confusing. It can be helpful to seek support and talk this through. Some schools offer advice for individuals in the community who would like to know more about programs and admission requirements, as well as related career options, all of which can help you arrive at a decision.
Whether you decide on university or college, you could start out with continuing education credits to test out both your interest in the subject area and your ability to tackle them. Being reasonably wellprepared for post-secondary studies is like an insurance policy for success. Regardless of your choice, both colleges and universities have academic supports available to help students.
Here are some things to consider
Geneviève Beaupré and Susan Qadeer have extensive experience working in university and college settings, providing career, academic and personal counselling to international and immigrant students.
