Don’t be a victim of your closed mouth

As the year begins, sit down with your line manager and share your growth goals. Go in prepared. Know the skills you want to build and the opportunities you want to pursue. And say them out loud. Frame the conversation in a way that also allows your manager to highlight opportunities that are already on the horizon this year. In addition, they often know what’s coming long before it becomes visible to you, which means speaking up early helps you position yourself for those opportunities before they pass.

Remember: an opportunity must be seized with the lifetime of the opportunity. Closed mouths don’t get fed – and in corporate, closed mouths sometimes stay stagnant.

Most importantly, “the power of life and death is in your tongue.” Speak up and make sure you speak life to your corporate journey.

NB: After sharing your vision, set up regular check-ins. One conversation is not enough.

Shoutout to Monde – we accidentally had the same brainwave. He echoed the exact thing I’d written. Great minds… or same stress levels.