May Question of the Month 💭 Join the conversation and receive a badge

Dan Kirk · 05/24/23

My Mom, through example, taught me the value of hard work. Apply yourself and results will follow.

A manager during my time in the airline industry taught me everyone is a customer. At the end of every encounter the customer should feel valued.

Recently a manager saw what I was capable of if pushed. When I was done pushing back, I saw it to. They are the reason I made a career change from Network Engineering to Project Management. They made it possible for me to see where I would have the most impact and encouraged me to pursue it.

Nick Burrus · 05/25/23

Honestly it is really hard to think of this question in a way. I've had such an uphill battle in my career and life, so it'd have to be an amazing number of doctors, and more in order to even get close to this answer. Professionally a number of people have inspired me. I'd have to say it'd have to go to my old company, Stria for even giving me a chance.

I can't settle on a sole person.

Tyler.Hinton · 05/31/23

My wife and kids have had the biggest impact on my career. From our early years in the military to our recent transition to civilian life, providing for my family has been the #1 driving factor motivating me to learn new skills and seek new opportunities to broaden my expertise.

Andrée Starå · 05/31/23

My parents because they were and are always encouraging and inspiring me.

Special mentions go to my wife, Maria, and my two daughters, Sonja and Agnes, because without their support, I could not have started and run my Smartsheet Consulting company and continued working with what I love.

Be safe, and have a fantastic week!

Best,

Andrée Starå | Workflow Consultant / CEO @ WORK BOLD

Roger_B · 05/31/23

I can't put a finger on any one person because I try to learn something from everyone -- even if how not to do it ;) As dismissive as that may sound, it has done more for me than any one piece of advice. Beyond the diversity of thought, it has also worked backwards. When others see, or hear, how I've learned from them they perform better.

Roger_B · 05/31/23

https://community.smartsheet.com/discussion/comment/373911#Comment_373911

This is about what I said, too! Love this way of thinking.

rshelnutt · 05/31/23

Who has had the biggest impact on my career would be the managers that I have encountered along the way in my 35+ year career. I enjoyed reading Praerit Garg's article in Forbes, and I can agree with his points regarding how to be a good manager. Some of the managers I have met are only interested in making themselves look good at the expense of everyone else below them. Others want to be good leaders, but lack the skillset to know how to do it. Others try very hard to be a friend rather than be a leader, and then there are a select few that know how to lead in a nurturing environment that empowers employees to be the very best version of themselves.

I've worked under them all and they have each taught me things that I carry with me today. I've learned by watching them to know what works and what doesn't. What motivates one person may not motivate another. I've taken away bits and pieces from each of them, and I think that has empowered me to be a good leader among my peers and my team.

Regina

Samuel Mueller · 05/31/23

This is a tough question because so many different people have had a positive impact on my career. But one that stands out is my manager from my very first job post college. He had a lot of trust and confidence in me, which in turn boosted my self confidence in the work that I do. He made sure I had a lot of opportunities and experience, and put me in positions to grow and work with senior leadership, even as a fresh out of college individual with no real world experience. He believed in me and my worth, and even backed it up by getting me a significant raise within my first year. The trust and confidence he had in me helped me be positive and grow my skills, impacting how I continue to approach work to this day.

Rebeca S. · 05/31/23

There are some people I would love to mention. The manager I met at a professional event, at the beginning of my career, who offered me feedback on my writing. They later invited me to join their team because they liked what I did, and always gave me opportunities to grow. My parents, who taught me the importance of hard work, integrity, and keeping an open mind. And of course, all the amazing creatives I've met along the way, because they've inspired me so much.

Matt Johnson · 06/01/23

Lew Crawford...he retired last year but in his prime (which lasted probably 4 times longer than normal humans) he was an absolute rock star in the retail construction industry, specifically C-stores in Texas. I could go on and on about processes he implemented and things he taught me but what stuck with me the most is his common sense approach to human resource management. If we were going to send a PM into the field for weeks at a time, he would ask questions like, are you sure that's not during any family functions like graduations or kids' birthdays. If people were in the field for a long time and we really needed them to stay, he'd advocate to fly their spouses in for a long weekend and have the company pickup the bill for travel and a nice meal or something. His attention to people will stick with me forever.