Why One CEO Thinks Everyone Should Hear This Career Advice When Starting Out
Don't.
"Get out of your comfort zone," says Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin, in a recent LinkedIn post. "Don't put constraints on yourself because you want to be perfect. Just get out there."
When beginning her own career, Hewson let little insecurities take a big hold of her life. Negative thoughts such as, "You didn't attend an Ivy League school" and, "You haven't been in the business long enough" kept her from reaching for leadership opportunities and held back her career. "My self-doubt became self-limiting," she recalls.
Eventually, Hewson realized the problem with her mindset: it's impossible to know it all from the get-go. The more you put yourself out there, the more you learn and experience. "Often, the adversities you face are what really forge your character and improve your confidence," she says. "It's the problems you've worked through in the past that will position you for future success."
By the time Hewson became CEO of Lockheed Martin, she'd held 19 leadership roles within the company, which she credits to her current success. "It's that collection of lessons, experiences and relationships that I now draw on every day," she says. "It's what has equipped me to lead, more so than any specific skill or talent."
So for every young professional hoping to further your career, remember Hewson's sage advice: quiet the inner voice that says you're not good enough. Instead, go prove that you are.
Click here to read the original LinkedIn post.
Want your business advice featured in Instant MBA? Submit your tips to tipoftheday@businessinsider.com. Be sure to include your name, your job title, and a photo of yourself in your email.
- US buys 81 Soviet-era combat aircraft from Russia's ally costing on average less than $20,000 each, report says
- 2 states where home prices are falling because there are too many houses and not enough buyers
- A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
- Why did a NASA spacecraft suddenly start talking gibberish after more than 45 years of operation? What fixed it?
- ICICI Bank shares climb nearly 5% after Q4 earnings; mcap soars by ₹36,555.4 crore
- Markets rebound sharply on buying in bank stocks firm global trends
- Bengaluru's rental income highest in Q1-2024, Mumbai next: Anarock report
- Rupee falls 10 paise to settle at 83.48 against US dollar