As a recent graduate, one of my biggest difficulties in performing well in a large organization was my lack of corporate intelligence (CI). I had excellent technical skills and a growing personal ability to recognize, understand and manage my own emotions, (emotional intelligence) as well as the emotions of others.
But I was totally unprepared to deal with office politics: I really struggled to understand the informal power structures, unwritten rules, identify key players, alliances and decision-making processes… which made it very difficult to navigate effectively.
Finding an experienced mentor within the organization made all the difference. He provided me valuable insights to understand why certain decisions are made, how things are typically done, and the unspoken guidelines that govern behavior and interactions among the executives. Something that you’ll never acquire in the school.
And this habit of mentoring has accompanied me throughout my career. Nowadays, much more in the role of mentor. But there's always something to be learnd when the subject refers to corporate intelligence.
Comments